Start of Weil Family Collection,
Steinsfurt
AR 11718
Sys#: 000358326
LEO BAECK INSTITUTE
Center for Jewish History
1 5 West 1 6th Street
New York, NY 10011
Phone: (212) 744-6400
Fax: (212) 988-1305
Email: lbaeck@lbi.cjh.org
URL: http://www.lbi.org
we remember them
This book is dedicated to our ancestors.
to our parents, and to the future generations
to assure that our history and stories will endure.
"The past is never dead. It isn't even past.
William Faulkner
My father, an enlightened spirit, believed in man,
My grandfather, a fervent Hasid, believed in God
The one taught me to speak, the other to sing.
Both loved stories.
And when I tell mine, I hear their voices.
Whispering from beyond the silenced storm,
they are what links the survivor to their memory.
Elie Wiesel
Weil Family Reunion
Fort Lauderdale, Flo-ida
June 21-22, 2002
Table of Contents
1
1
Family Tree
1
Introduction
iii
1
Holocaust Remembrance
iv
1
Tribute to Zerline and Samuel Weil
V
Descendant Tree of Samuel Weil
5
1
Outline Descendant Tree
15
1
Index of Individuals
28
1
w
Personal Histories Part One
m
Descendants of Karl (Solomon) Weil
i
Bob Balkin
1
A
1
Susanne Weil Balkin
4
p
Richard Balkin
7
Mariamie Weil Sekulow
8
1
Karl Weil (Port Gibson)
11
1 A
m
Liselotte Weil (Leo Weil)
14
Leslie Weil
16
•1 ^
1
Peter Weil
17
1 o
■P-
Ronald Weil
18
Liz Thalheimer Gebier (Albert Weil)
19
1
Eric (Eichertsheimer) Ellis
20
Descendant of Aaron Weil
1
Julius Weil
21-21D
■
Descendant of Babette Weil Freitag
Sonia Freitag Kuniansky
22
1
1
1
1
Table of Contents
Personal Histories Part Two
Descendants of Josef (Jessel) Weil
Josef (Jessel) Weil
Carlos A. Weil
Jose Weil Obituary
Alfredo Weil
Henry Mosbacher
Gabriel Neuberger
Margot Spiess Jacobi
Anna Hess
Anna Goetter Kaiser
Felix Weil Remembers Herman Weil
Felix Weil
Frank Weil
Lucille Jacobowitz Weil
Waibstadt History
History of Cemetery in Waibstadt
Family Photographs
Descendants of:
Karl (Solomon) Weil and Babetter Goetter
Joseph Weil and Mathilda Mass
Leopold Weil and Klara kern
Babette Weil Freitag and Victor Freitag
Josef (Jessel) Weil and Fanny Goetter
Max Weil Spiess and Bertha Rosenfeld
Adolf Weil and Jenny Kirchheimer
Maximo Weil and Leonor Weil
Herman Weil and Rosa Weismann
Jorge Frohmann and Gerda Elias
Miscellaneous Photos
1
7
17
18
21
24
27
28
30
31
47
48
49
51
11
Introduction
The Weil family of Steinsflirt is blessed with a dynamic group of capable family
members, whose endeavor to preserve the history of this remarkable family, have brought
us to this place for a reunion of historic proportions.
The roots of the Weil family spanned almost 200 years in this small, fertile, and
picturesque village in the heart of the Neckar Valley. Although family members
emigrated at the turn of the nineteenth century to seek their fortunes in larger cities and
other countries, a core of the family stayed in Stemsflirt to carry on the tradition of
farming and feeding cattle. The 1930s brought the rise of the National Socialist Party and
Adolf Hitler, which forever changed the central focus of "home" for the Weil family.
There was no longer a secure homestead to preserve the memories of the past nor were
stories of our pioneering ancestors passed on to the next generation. We no longer
possessed a common link to our historic past. The family and its traditions scattered
throughout the world. By 1940, the Jewish community in Steinsfurt no longer existed.
However, through the efforts of Hans Appenzeller, with the assistance of Kurt Weil,
Carlos Weil, and Jorge Frohmann the Weil history regained a new life. The first printing
of the book "The Judishe Gemeinde: Geschichte Der Familie Weil" fi-om the Ortschronik
Steinsfurt was published in 1989. This book recounted a picture of Jewish life in
Steinsfurt dating back to the 1 800s and authenticated the origins of the three Weil
brothers - Low, Moises, and Isaak- who settled in Steinsfurt in 1750. It recorded the
business transactions, the education of Jewish children, and the contribution of prominent
family members to the community. Further, it recorded the struggle of the few family
members remaining in Steinsfurt and their attempts to escape the evil that was to plague
Germany. Lastly, it recorded the names, dates, and destination of those who left the
country before and after 1933.
This book offers a foundation for a new dawn and the renewal of the Weil legacy.
The Weil Family Reunion will bring together relatives whose connections were severed
for over 65 years. However, through the telling of stories and through the written word
we will attempt to pick -up the pieces of a history lost. We, the generation that watched
our parents suffer, as our homes were destroyed and family members souls paralyzed to
accommodate the brutality that befell them, hope to put together the stories that remained
unspoken - until now. The personal histories presented here are a new beginning. Now
our generation faces the challenge to build bonds that will once more unite us with our
common heritage
Marianne Weil Schaffer Sekulow June 2002 Fort Lauderdale, Florida
In Memory of family consumed in the Holocaust
"At the rising of the sun and at it going down
we remember them.
At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring
we remember them.
At the beginning of the year and at its end
we remember them
As long as we live, they too will live: for they are part of us
as we remember them. "
Sylvan Kamens and Jack Riemer
Auschwitz Guts Theresienstadt
Julius Maier
Irma Weil Maier
Manfred Maier
Ilse Maier
Otto Neuberger
Dr. Barts
Regina Weil
Bruno Weinberg
Else Spiess Weinberg
Guenter Weinberg
Anna Hess geb. Daniel
Great Grandmother of Madelaine Linden
Babette Wertheimer Frank
Grandmother of Susie Weil Balkin
Heinrich Loewengart
Berta Rosenfeld Spiess's Brother
Weil Balkin
Peter Weil
cinier
A Tribute to Zerliiie and Samuel Weil
This is a tribute to Zerline and Samuel Weil
From the grateful descendants whose lives they saved.
During those darkest of hours in Jewish history
When our lives were destined for annihilation.
They demonstrated perseverance, generös ity^i^^Wi cfttil^ilc;.
Combined with an unrelenting love of family.
The descendants of F^pold Weil, Albert ^ ^
Wisl^S äcknöi^cdge their undying gra^hdeJ ^ ' ^
Let the de^ds of ZetEline and Samuel be remei^b<pBd;y^ l l;
So*that our^descendaiiJts may learn the lessons of mitzA oth
\nd always remember the bonds of family and to be thy brothers' keeper.
Weil Family Tree
Low Feis-Weil
Bom June 11, 1751
Weil Family Reunion
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
June 21-22, 2002
Transcribed by
Marianne Weil Sekulow
Descendants of Samuel Weil
\
Descendants of Samuel Weil
Samuel Weil
Bom: Fcbniafy 07, 17%
in Steinsfurt Germany
Died: March 03, 1865
in Steinsfurt Germany grave #844
Number of children: 7
Josefat (Jochilet) Reiss
Bom: 1795
in Wollenberg
Died: January 02, 1864
in Steinsfurt Germany grave #868
Number of children: 7
/^I
Descendants of Samuel Weil
Karl Weil (Salomon)
Bom; May 04, 1835
in Steinsfurt Germany
Died: December 01, 1903
m Stemsfijrt Germany
Number of children: 8
Babette Goetter
Bom November 08, 1839
in Grombacl(3avana
Died: March 23, 1927
in Steinsfurt Germany
Married: April 03, 1862
Number of children: 8
Descendants of Samuel Weil
Samuel Weil
Bom. February 07, 1796
in Steinsftitt Germany
Died: March 03, 1S6S
in Sleinsfiirt Germany grave #844
Number of children: 7
Josefat (Jochilet) Reiss
Bom: 1795
in Wollenberg
Died: January 02, 1864
in Steinsfurt Gemiany grave #868
Number of children: 7
fi
Descendants of Samuel Weil
Aaron Weil
Bertha Edelsheimer I
Bom: December 12, 1832 U Bom: July 10, 1829
Died: September 27, 1905
Number of children: 9
Died: October 23, 1912
Number of children: 9
Descendants of Samuel Weil
Karl Weil (Salomon) , i
Bom: May 04, 1835 i I
in Steinsfurt Germany i — i
Died: December 01, 1%3 I I
in Steinsfurt Germany | i
Number of children: 8 1 '
J L
Babette Goetter
Bom: November 08, 1839
in Gfomback^avana
Died: March 23, 1927
in Steinsfurt Germany
Married: April 03, 1862
Number of children: 8
t
Descendants of Samuel Weil
1 Fanny Goetter ^
\ Josef (Jessel) Weil
j Bom: April 23, 1823
' Bom: October (fl, 1823
' in Grombach Germany
in Steinsfurt Germany
1 Died: November 22, 1914 |
' in Steinsfurt Germany
Died: October 02, 1887
1 in Steinsfurt Germany
1 Married; November 19, 1850 j
Number of children: 13
in Sleinafun Germany
j Number of children 13 j
i
1 1
Descendants of Samuel Weil
Josef (Jessel) Weil
Bom: October C2, 1823
m Steinsfliit Germany
Died; October 02, 1887
in Steinsfiirt Germany
Number of children: 13
Fanny Goetter
Bom: April 23, 1823
in Grombach Germany
Died: November 22, 1914
in Steinsfiirt Germany
Married: November 19, 1850
in Steinsfiirt Germany
Number of children: 13
Descendants of Samuel Weil
Josef (Jessel) Weil
Bom: October 02, 1823
in Steinsftirt Germany
Died: October 02, 1887
in Steinsflirt Germany
Number of children: 13
“1
N
j
Fanny Goetter I
Bom: April 23, 1823 ;
in Grombach Germany
Died: November 22, 1914 1
in Steinsftirt Germany
Married: November 19, 1850 i
in Steinsftirt Germany
Number of children 13 !
Descendants of Low Feis-Weil
Low Feis-Weil Boro: June 1 1, 1751 Died: November 18. 1826
-)-Edel (Adelheid) Born: June 19, 1762 Died: March 22, 1845
2 Samuel Weil Born: February 07, 1796 in Steinsfurt Germany Died: March 03, 1865 in Sleinsfurt Germany grave #844
+Joscfat (Jochilet) Reiss Born: 1795 in Wollenberg Died: January 02, 1864 in Steinsfurt Germany grave #868
3 Karl Weil (Salomon) Born: May 04, 1835 in Steinsfurt Germany Died: December 01, 1903 in Sleinsfurt Germany
+ Ba bette Goetter Bom: November 08, 1839 in Gromback,Bavaria Died: March 23, 1927 in Steinsfurt Germany Married:
April 03, 1862
4 Leopold Weil Born: April 03, 1863 Died: February 03, 1917
,,, -t-Klara Keru Born: November 10, 1870 in Wollenberg, Germany Died: November 15, 1938 in Steinsfurt, Germany
5 Irma Weil Born: October 28, 1894 in Sleinsfurt Germany Died: 1942 in Auschwitz concentration Camp
-t-Julius Maier Born: January 1 1, 1896 in Koonigsbach Died: 1942 in Auschwitz Concentration Camp
6 Manfred Maier Died: in Auschwitz concentration Camp
6 Use Maier Died: in Auschwitz concentration Camp
5 Joseph Weil Born: June 12, 1899 in Steinsfurt,Germany Died: September 04, 1949 in Dubuque, Iowa
+Alice Frank Born: February 16, 1905 in Kehl Germany Married: November 07, 1931
6 Susanne Karola Weil Born: July 18, 1933 in Karlsruhe, Germany
+Howard B. Balkin Born: April 04, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois Married: June 16, 1957 in Chicago,
Illinois
7 Jeffrey Edward Balkin Born: September 29, 1959
+Randee Blum Born: September 1 1, 1957
8 Jordan Balkin Born: May 10, 1988
8 Victoria Balkin Born: February 25, 1992
7 Robert Frank Balkin Born: October 15, 1961
7 Mark Allen Balkin Born: October 12, 1964
+Ellen Genet Born: July 31, 1969 in New Orleans
... ....... 8 Andrew Balkin Born: September 07, 1995
8 Joshua Balkin Born: August 25, 1998
............ 7 Richard Scott Balkin Born: July 02, 1968
^Melissa White Born: September 05, 1970 in Blair, Nebraska
8 Abigail Balkin Born: November 10, 1998
5 Karl Weil Born: October 24, 1905 in Steinsfurt Germany Died: August 25, 1978 in St. Louis, Missouri
.... +Edith Mendelson Born: November 02, 1919 in Frankfurt Married: in St Louis, Mo
6 l.eslie Weil Born: May 28, 1945
+Sharyn Pass Married: June 08, 1971
7 David Weil Born: December 30, 1977
7 Kirk Weil Born: July 18, 1979
7 Kelly Weil Born: February 15, 1982 in SL Louis, Missouri Died: September 24, 1993 in St
Louis, Missouri
*2nd Wife of Leslie Weil:
+Jodi Peck Born: June 26, 1953 in Milwakee Married: March 15, 1987 in milwakee
7 Adam Peck Born: April 08, 1976
7 Camilla Peck Born: December 30, 1977
6 Peter Michael Weil Born: January 19, 1948 in St l.ouis, Missouri
..... -t-Ellisa Ann Luobanowl Born: August 19, 1948 in Nashville, Tenn Married: August 19, 1970 in
Nashville Tenn.
........ 7 Sarah Vanessa Weil Born: June 22, 1980 in Los Angelos, California
7 Adam Daniel Weil Born: December 06, 1985 in Los Angelos, California
*2nd Wife of Peter Michael Weil:
+Julie Ann Lapping Born: February 15, 1962 in Chicago, Illinois Married: May 23, 1994 in Jerusalem,
Israel
7 Alex Jordan Weil Born: February 14, 1996 in Los Angelos, California
7 Kaley Elizabeth Weil Born: November 29, 1998 in Los Angelos, California
.Samuel Weil Born: November 05, 1866 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: November 15, 1940 in Port Gibson, Miss
+Zerline Anderson Haas Born: March 16, 1880 in Gainsville Alabama Died: September 06, 1954 in Port Gibson,
Miss Married: in Port Gibson, Mississippi
5 Rose Haas Weil Born: June 19, 1919 in Port Gibson, Mississippi Died: May 13, 1987 in Jackson, Mississippi
-i-Powell Douglas Dungan Born: September 01, 1922 in Hermanville, Mississippi Died: September 21, 1995 in
Jackson, Mississippi Married: July 10, 1950 in Port Gibson, Mississippi
6 Karla Cramer Dungan Born: April 03, 1951 in Vicksburg, Mississippi
+Lawrence Rudolph Back Born: October 14, 1947 in Little Rock, Ark Married: December 19, 1971 in
Port Gibson, Mississippi
7 Ellen Cramer Weil Born: October 13, 1978 in l.ittle Rock, Ark
5 Karl Weil Born: April 18, 1909 in Port Gibson, Mississippi Died: 1991 in Port Gibson, Mississippi
4 Joseph Weil Born: December 24, 1868 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: September 15, 1923 in Steinsfurt, Germany
+Mathilda Maas Born: April 23, 1880 in Hemsbach, Germany Died: November 30, 1967 in St Louis, Missouri
5 Karl Weil Born: March 21, 1904 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: December 22, 1966 in Sioux City, Iowa
-fSophie Eichtersheimer Born: January 20, 1907 in Ittlingen, Germany Died: November 25, 1971 in
Baltimore, Maryland Married: January 22, 1931 in Steinsfurt Germany
6 Ruth Babette Weil Born: November 06, 1931 in Germany
-.. +Alan Jay Winick Born: March 02, 1930 in Des Moines, Iowa Married: June 15, 1952 in Sioux City,
Iowa
7 Naomie J. Winick Born: November II, 1953 in Chicago, Illinois
-t-Joseph Murphy Born: December 1957
15
8 Leah Elizabeth Murphy Born: May 28, 1987 in Dallas, Texas
8 Sara Murphy Born: December 09, 1988 in Dallas, Texas
8 Hannah Murphy Born: December 03, 1992 in Dallas, Texas
7 Heidi Winick Born: November 08, 1955 in Evanston, Illinois
+James Sauber Born: February 07, 1960 in Algonac, Michigan Married: May 21, 1988 in Ann
Arbor, Michigan
8 Elizaberth Winick Sanber Born: September 17, 1991 in Washington DC
8 Abigail Winick Sauber Born: November 29, 1993 in Washington DC
8 Margaret Winick Sauber Born: September 15, 1996 in Washington DC
7 Leslie Winick Born: December 20, 1957 in Evanston, Illinois
+Stuart Gasner Born: October 27, 1954 in New York City Married: August 27, 1983 in Chicago,
Illinois
8 Katherine Weil Gasner Born: August 27, 1986 in Washington DC
8 Emily B Gasner Born: August 27, 1986 in Washington DC
8 Dorothy Winick Gasner Born: December 30, 1991 in Honolulu, HI
....... 6 Marianne Weil Born: June 25, 1933 in Mannheim, Germany
+Louis Hutzler SchalTer, MD Boro: November 05, 1930 in Baltimore, Maryland Died: February 04,
1973 in Baltimore, Maryland Married: October 19, 1957 in Sioux City, Iowa
7 Natalie SchafTer Born: September 04, 1958 in Chincateague, Virginia
+MichaelJames ONeill Born: February 18, 1958 in Seattle, Washington Married: September
09, 1984 in Baltimore, Maryland
8 Benjamin James ONeill Born: April 25, 1986 in Baltimore, Maryland
8 Jonathan Shea ONeill Born: June 05, 1989 in Houston, Texas
7 Michael Weil Schaffer Born: July 19, 1960 in Baltimore, Maryland
-«-Elizabeth Norton Born: August 19, 1963 in New York City, New York Married: November 17,
1990 in Baltimore, Maryland
8 Allison Leah Schaffer Born: December 28, 1992 in San Francisco, California
7 Andrew Louis Schaffer Born: November 19, 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland
.... -«-Sheila Buzby Born: December 23, 1963 in Rochester, New York Married: June 29, 1991 in
Baltimore, Mary land
8 Rachael Lauren Schaffer Born: November 09, 1992 in Baltimore, Maryland
„... 8 Alexandra Brooke Schalfer Born: November 10, 1994 in Baltimore, Maryland
..... *2nd Husband of Marianne Weil:
-t-Erwin M. Sekulow Born: December 02, 1936 in New York City, New York Married: April 27, 1980 in
Baltimore, Maryland
5 Max Weil Born: June 07, 1905 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: September 04, 1970 in St. Louis, Mo
5 Issi (Joseph) Weil Born: October 23, 1906 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: May 13, 1979 in SL Louis Missouri
-«-Elsie Weiler Born: January 14, 1919 in Dieland, Germany ( Saar) Married: June 03, 1944 in St. Louis,
Missouri
...... 6 Ronald David Weil Born: February 23, 1948 in St. Louis, Missouri
-«-Virgina Leigh Broomall Born: November 14, 1945 in SL Louis, Missouri Married: October 25, 1970
7 Aaron Jonas Broomall Weil Born: March 14, 1976
7 Zachary Paul Broomall Weil Born: March 15, 1978
7 Rebecca Jo Broomall Weil Born: December 04, 1979
6 .lerry Weil Born: July 09, 1945
... -«-Jerolynn
7 Nicolas Weil Born: October 21, 1979
5 I.CO Weil Born: January 17, 1908 Died: February 06, 1983 in Lafeyette
-l-llsa Strauss Born: 1920 in Frankfurt Married: 1941
... 6 Linda Weil Bom: July 22, 1943
...... ... -«-Steve Alsberg Born: April 16, 1942 in Chicago, III
7 Josh Alsberg Born: April 27, 1970 in Chicago, III
-fPage Born: July 31, 1974 in Iowa
7 Noah Alsberg Born: June 24, 1974 in Chicago, III
»2nd Wife of Leo Weil:
-«-Liselotte Rosette Levy Born: July 07, 1921 in Neuwied Am Rhein, Germany Married: June 07, 1959
5 Stefan Weil Born: July 15, 1910 Died: August 22, 1976 in SL Louis, Missouri
............ -«-Tess Kasten Born: 1918 in Fort .Smith Ark Died: December 1996
........ ...... ..... 6 Gary Weil
-«-Georgiana
6 Marsha Babette Weil Born: in SL Louis, Mo
-«-Charlie Schiffman Born: in Memphis, Tenn
7 Nili Allyn Schiffman Born: November 30, 1976 in Springfield, Massachsetts
4 Gustav Weil Born: March 30, 1871 in Steinsfurt Germany Died: November 15, 1952 in Sao Paulo
-«-Telly Hobach Born: May 05, 1883 in Grosseicholzheim Died: February 02, 1948 in Sao Paulo
5 Use Weil Born: March 03, 1912
5 Leopold Weil Born: April 02, 1917 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: March 25, 1966 in New York, New York
.......... -«-Mina Renks Born: May 20, 1913 Died: October 15, 1953 Married: 1950
6 Gary Ronald Weil Born: October 01, 1953
-«-Debra Ruth Schlesinger Born: May 17, 1960
7 LaveyWeil Born: June 22, 1989
7 Arron Weil Born: July 30, 1992
7 TsviWeil Born: October 27, 1996
*2nd Wife of Leopold Weil:
-«-Margareta Offsiowitz Born: February 14, 1917 Married: 1954
16
6 Helen Tbea Weil Born: April 17, 1955
+ Leslie B Slaughter Born: December 16, 1954
........ 7 Bryan Leo Slaughter Born: December 09, 1976
+Stacy Bradshaw
7 Jeremy Davis Slaughter Born: January 29, 1980
5 Siegfried Weil Born: July 03, 1918 in Steinsfurt Germany Died: June 01, 1972 in New York
+Belle Kush Born: July 01, 1916 ,
........... 6 Terry Weil Born: June 07, 1951
_..... V Patricia Campbell Born: April 23, 1952
... 7 Jenifer Weil Born: August 07, 1978
.... 7 Kicky Amato Weil Born: October 21, 1971
...... 6 Marilyn Weil Born: January 17, 1948
+Kichy Lewirt Level Born: October 03, 1948
........ 7 Crais Lewitt Level Born: 1970
... 7 Keith l.ewitt Level Born: January 07, 1974
5 Flora Weil Born: March 03, 1922 in Steinsfurt Germany
4 Ida Weil Born: May 30, 1873 Died: in Germany
+lsaak Bierig
5 Siegfried Bierig Died: in Soldier in German Army WWI
4 Emelia Weil Born: November 03, 1875 in Steinsfurt Germany Died: December 11, 1963 in Norfolk, Va
+Benjarain Schloss Born: 1873 in Edelfingen, Germany (near Bad Mergentheim on Taube Kh er) Died: 1939 in
Norfolk, Va Married: 1900 in Germany
5 Henry Schloss Born: April 16, 1901 in Edelfingen, Germany Died: December 11, 1981 inNorfolk,Va
+Kegina Fröhlich Born: April 05, 1908 in Germany Married: 1931 in Germany
6 Berndt Schloss Born: June 14, 1932 in Edelflngen, Germany (near Bad Mergentheim on Taube Kiver)
...„ ........ +Petronia Troutman Born: July 27, 1941 in North Carolina Married: 1958 in Suffolk, VA
................. 7 Laura Serena Schloss Born: January 07, 1959 in Portsmouth, VA
+Charlie Koger Jones Born: August 05, 1950 in Virgina Married: October 01, 1984 in Hampton,
VA
8 Neal Thomas Hobbs Jones Born: F'ebruary 07, 1977
8 Emily Jean Hobbs Jones Born: April 25, 1980
... .................. 7 Caroline Maxine Schloss Born: April 14, 1961 in Portsmouth, VA
7 Helen Kebecca Schloss Born: December 11, 1963
+Vebuda Lavi Griffin Born: March 23, 1963 in Chicago, 111 Married: February 13, 1999 in
Norfolk, VA
8 Blake Patrick Griffin Born: April 29, 1984 in Portsmouth, VA
8 Krista Michelle Griffin Born: May 19, 1986 in Portsmouth, VA
....... 6 Max Schloss Born: May 20, 1933 in Edelfingen, Germany Died: November 06, 1994 in Hampton, VA
+Edice Aron Born: July 29, 1936 in Portsmouth, VA Married: 1962
... 7 Linda Schloss Born: April 25, 1964 in Norfolk, Va
+David Kastriner Born: November 14, 1961 in New York City
8 Jerrod Kastriner Born: December 19, 1989 in New York
8 Shea Kastriner Born: October 07, 1992 in New York
8 Maxine Kastriner Born: January 04, 1997 in New York
... 7 Michael Stephen Schloss Born: in Norfolk, Va
6 Benjamin Carl Schloss Born: November 01, 1943 in Norfolk, Va
+Sharon Berman
7 Eric Neil Schloss
.... + Bonnie
8 Alannab Schloss
8 Jason Schloss
.... 7 Lauren Denise Schloss
7 Brad Schloss
5 Berthold Schloss Born: December 18, 1908 in Edelfingen, Germany Died: 1970 in Norfolk, Va
+Freda Acmen Born: 1918 in Germany
6 Hannah Schloss
6 Ann Schloss Died: 1995 in Norfolk, Va
4 Albert Weil Born: January 18, 1865 Died: 1926 in Munich, Germany
..._ -t-Betty Sondheimer Born: in Kegensburg in Bayern
5 Stefan Weil Born: November 02, 1896 in Munich
vHilda Ferber Died: in Los Angeles, California
5 Ella Weil Born: June 25, 1898 in Munich Died: January 15, 1946 in Los Angeles, California
-i-Jacob Thalheimer Born: 1897 Died: 1970 in Los Angeles, California
6 Lizzie Thalheimer Born: December 12, 1927 in Munich
+Fred Gebier Born: August 07, 1929 in Chicago, 111
... _..... 7 Ellen Marla Gebier Born: August 04, 1957
+Eric Rose Born: in Cleveland
8 Max Rose Born: December 03, 1993
6 John Thalheimer Born: February 15, 1929 in Munich Died: 1981 in Colorado
_.._ -t-Sally Cohen Born: in Colorado
7 Vickie Thalheimer Born: November 1960 in Los Angeles
7 Jay Thalheimer Born: 1958 in l^os Angeles
4 Ferdinand Weil Born: June 15, 1881 Died: in died as infant
._ 3 Lazarus Weil Born: December 1 1, 1830
+Babette Gluck Born: March 28, 1825 Died: October 20, 1887 Married: October 24, 1858
17
I-A>
1 ^i.>~ vr ^1 1
4 Leopold Weil Born: October 08, 1859
4 Klara Weil Born: December 01, 1861
4 Berta Weil Born: April 19, 1863
4 Ida Weil Born: August 23, 1865
4 Moses Weil Born: March 08, 1867
... +Sophie Adler Born: November 07, 1867 in Edelfingen
... 5 Siegfried Weil Born: August 29, 1893
5 Bianka Weil Born: February 24, 1895
5 Alfred Weil Born: April 22, 1896
3 Aaron Weil Born: December 12, 1832 Died: September 27, 1905
+ Bertha Edelsheimer Born: July 10, 1829 Died: October 23, 1912
.... 4 Elise Weil Born: November 29, 1858
+Samuel Salomon Born: November 07, 1854 in Hilbringen Married: January 04, 1881
4 Hannchen Weil Born: May 29, 1861
-»-Leopold Weil Born: November 16, 1851 Died: August 03, 1879 in USA
............ ....... 4 Gustav Weil Born: March 04, 1864 in Steinfurt, Germany
-»-Mathilde Menges Born: July 06, 1870 in Michelfcid, Germany Died: 1946 in Johannesburg, South Africa
.. — 5 Regina Weil Born: June 18, 1893 Died: 1938 in Dachau concentration Camp
- — -»Wilhelm Levi Born: June 19, 1883 Died: 1938 in Dachau concentration Camp Married: March 01, 1924
— 6 Gunther Levi Delachaux
............. -»Miquette
7 Yvan Delachaux
— 7 Regina Delachaux
....... — — -»Anwar Gern
8 Stephan Gern
— 8 Ivan Gern
6 Ruth Levi Blandenier
- 7 Sonya Blandenier
7 Andre Blandenier
-»Caterine
8 Maude Blandenier
8 Elise Blandenier
5 Johanna Weil Born: September 27, 1895 in In concentration Camp
— .... 5 Julius Weil Born: October 16, 1902 in Steinsfurt Germany Died: April 09, 1989 in Cleveland Ohio
-»Helen Kahn Born: January 03, 1902 in Breisach Died: August 20, 1992 Married: November 16, 1924 in
Breisach
6 Gisela Naomi Weil Born: July 22, 1932
..... -»Warren Rubin Born: September 28, 1928 in Manhattan Married: September 30, 1954 in Cleveland
7 Victoria Rubin Born: October 03, 1956
-»Pieter de Klerk Born: June 11, 1950 in Midden-Beemster Married: June 24, 1987 in Naarden
8 Helena Adriana de Klerk Bom: April 07, 1988 in Wenen
8 Katharina Rosalinde de Klerk Born: October 17, 1990 in Wenen
.. — ...... 7 Beth Rubin Rubin Born: September 30, 1958 in Manhattan
.... -»Dane Scott McGregor Born: June 03, 1961 in Madison Married: July 06, 1993 in TarryTown
...... 8 Elinor Ruth Rubin- McGregor Born: May 02, 1995 in Winnipeg
— — 8 Jordan Lea Rubin McGregor Born: April 08, 1997 in Winnipeg
........... *2nd Husband of Gisela Naomi Weil:
-»Edward Rosewater Feil Born: May 16, 1924 in Cleveland, Ohio Married: December 29, 1963 in
Cleveland
7 Edward Gustav Feil Born: July 26, 1965
+Jocelyn Terese Warren Born: May 29, 1968 in Toledo Married: July 07, 1996 in Springfield,
Oregon
8 Ethan Julius Warren Feil Born: January 13, 1997 in Springfield, Oregon
8 Claudia Beatrice Warren Feil Born: June 01, 1999 in Eugene, Oregon
._ — 7 Kenneth Jonathan Feil Born: January 04, 1967
— __ — 6 Gabriele Weil Born: September 04, 1933 in Munich, Germany
— . — .„ -»George Halle Hays, Jr
— ..._.......„„......™..„. 7 Peter Weil Hays Born: 1955
....... -»Amy Berner
. — — — — 8 Rachael Berner- Hays Born: 1996
8 Max Wilborn Berner- Hays Born: January 19, 1999
7 Will Halle Hays Boro: 1959
7 Carrie Halle Hays Born: 1957
— 5 Gertrude Tmdl Weil Born: October 08, 1907 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: July 25, 1967 in Johannesburg
South Africa
— -»Friedrich Baer Born: July 24, 1900 Died: 1978 in Oakland, California Married: January 22, 1935 in
1/22/1935
— 6 Irene Baer Born: October 1940
-»Hyman Raphael Shevelew Born: December 10, 1938 in Kaapstad South Africa Married: December
17, 1961
~...™........ — 7 Judith Esther Shevelew Born: November 1 1, 1963
— -»Juan Manuel Zaragoza Contreras Born: June 27, 1957 in Mexico Married: October 18, 1998
in Cuernevaca, mexico
— 7 Ruth Ann Shevelew Born: May 12, 1967 in Denver, Colorado
— -»Jonathan Miller Born: August 1960 in Boston Married: September 29, 1996 in Sanfrancisco
18
8 David EU IVliller Shevelew Born: October 1999
*2nd Husband of Irene Baer:
-t^David Pendelton IVicPhail Married: December 29, 1974
5 Max Weil Born: April 24, 191 1 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: September 03, 1974 in Baltimore, Maryland
+ Flora Samuel
4 Samuel Weil Born: November 18, 1866 Died: January 08, 1868
4 Auguste Weil Born: January 12, 1867 in Steinfurt, Germany
4 Ida Weil Born: May 05, 1868
vSamuel Samuel I Born: February 05, 1863 in Freudenberg
... 4 Emma Weil Born: January 19, 1870 in steinfurt, Germany
4 Veis Weil Born: September 12, 1871 in Steinfurt, Germany
..... 4 Rosalie Weil Born: December 20, 1874 in Steinfurt, Germany
+MoritzBlocb Born: March 26, 1871 in Sulzburg Died: May 05, 1902 Married: May 05, 1902 in
Religionslehrer/Baiertal
„...„ 3 IsakWeil Born: July 18, 1837 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: May 25, 1879 in Waibstadt, Germany grave #393
.... +Ester Emelie Grumbacher Born: March 18, 1834 in Huffenstadt Died: May 16, 1893 in Waibstadt, Germany grave #72
Married: September 14, 1864
....... 4 Jennie Weil Born: August 15, 1865
..... +lsaak Kahn Married: August 11, 1889
4 Samuel Weil Born: August 02, 1867 in Steinsfurt Germany Died: May 19, 1933 in Mannheim
+lda Strauss Died: May 19, 1933 Married: July 05, 1893 in Waibstadt
5 Alfred Weil Born: September 1 1, 1898 in Mannheim Died: July 31, 1971 in Chicago, III
+ElsieAron Born: August 13, 1912 in Stuttgart Married: July 05, 1936 in Stuttgart
6 Steven Weil Born: April 16, 1941 in Chicago, III
-f Janet Lee Janowitz Born: September 05, 1940 Married: October 01, 1969
7 Jennifer Robin Weil Born: August 28, 1971 in Chicago, III
...... ..... ...... 7 Amy Pamela Weil Born: December 09, 1974 in Chicago, III
5 Eugene Weil Born: May 23, 1892 Died: June 29, 1969
„... ... +Lisa Wertheimer Married: August 1933
5 Emilie Weil Born: October 04, 1895
5 Gertrud Weil Born: April 05, 1908
+Archie David Baum
5 Hilda Weil Born: March 04, 1900
+David Rehfeld
............. 5 Rudolf Weil Born: October 31, 1902 in Mannheim Died: March 08, 1956 in Chicago
+Eleonor Mayer
4 Pauline Weil Born: July 02, 1869
.......... 4 Leopold Weil Born: October 15, 1870
... ... 4 Julius Weil Born: June 29, 1874
4 Luise Weil Born: October 06, 1876
4 Lina Weil Born: September 27, 1872
3 Josef (Jessel) Weil Born: October 02, 1823 in Steinsfurt Germany Died: October 02, 1887 in Steinsfurt Germany
+Fanny Goetter Born: April 23, 1823 in Grombach Germany Died: November 22, 1914 in Steinsfurt Germany Married:
November 19, 1850 in Steinsfurt Germany
................... 4 Leopold Weil Born: November 16, 1851 Died: August 03, 1879 in USA
-t-Johanna Born: May 29, 1861
... ............... 4 Emilie Weil Born: July 27, 1853
+Salomon Isack
... 5 Anna Isack
.............. +Alexandcr Hofman
6 Oskar Hofman
6 Herbert Hofman
5 Flora Isack Born: 1888 Died: 1974
+Sigmund Hirschler
6 Stefan Hirschler Died: November 2000 in Buenos Aires
+Hanna Frankel
*2nd Wife of Stefan Hirschler:
....... ................... +Adruana Bezemann
6 Margot Hirschler
.................... „.... +Med. Levi Married: in Venezuela
5 Ida Isack
+Lcon Sichel
™™„..._.......„„.....™.....„......„... 6 Karl Sichel
6 Edith Sichel
.... 5 Julius Isack
5 Salomon Isack
4 Gustav Weil Born: July 27, 1855 Died: in Atlanta, USA
........... 4 Babette Weil Born: May 24, 1857 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: 1940 in Basel, Switzerland
-I-Cebriel Spiess Born: 1840 in Haehniein Died: 1910 in Haebnlein-Alsbach
5 Lina Elena Spiess Born: January 13, 1881 in Haehniein Died: December 04, 1974 in Chicago, III
....... -f-Gerson Mosbacher Born: October 23, 1878 in Eschau Unterfranken Died: August 19, 1930 in Darmstadt
6 Henry Gabriel Mosbacher Born: May 01, 1920
+Alice Bendorf Born: December 01, 1920 Died: October 22, 1993
7 Gcrson Mosbacher Born: April 26, 1944
-t-Judy Levay Born: July 12, 1945
19
8 Debbie Mosbacher Born: January 05, 1973
7 Lester Mosbacher Bom: January 20, 1946 Died: January 19, 1999
+ Bonnie Lasky Bom: November 21, 1946
8 Joel Mosbacher(Rabbi) Bom: April 19, 1970
+Elyssa Patow Bom: December 30, 1969
9 Ari Joshua Mosbacher Bom: Febmary 06, 1998
8 Mark Mosbacher Bom: December 31, 1972
+ Jennifer Gross Bom: September 27, 1974
7 Bmce Mosbacher Bom: June 14, 1954
+Joan Katz Bom: June 18, 1955
8 FJan Katz Mosbacher Bom: October 03, 1984
8 Jacob Katz Mosbacher Bom: August 01, 1987
8 Miriam Katz Mosbacher Bom: March 03, 1993
5 Jenny Spiess Bom: in Haehniein Died: 1954 in Israel
+Levi Katz Bom: in Birstein Died: 1947 in Israel
6 Kaete Katz Bom: 1910 Died: 1995 in Israel
+Zwi llirschberg Bom: 1914 Died: 1975 in Israel
7 Eli Hirschberg Bom: 1944 Died: 1992
+Pirah
8 Noam Hirschberg Bom: 1972
8 Zwi Hirschberg Bom: 1974
8 Gila llirschberg Bom: 1980
7 Bilha Hirschberg Bom: 1947
+Reuven Tamir Bom: 1946
8 Ronen Tamir Bom: 1972
+Sigal Bom: 1971
9 Amit Tamir Bom: 2001
8 Ido Tamir Bom: 1975
+Zaela Bom: 1980
8 ZaelaTandr Bom: 1980
6 lieUaKatz Bom: July 24, 1912
+Natan Letzter Bom: July 26, 1912 Died: November 28, 1989 in israel
7 Ora Letzter Bom: 1940
+A. Paldi
8 Anat Paldi Bom: in Israel
+Jaron Bashan Bom: in Israel
9 Tamar Bashan Bom: 1991 in Israel
9 Hadar Bashan Born: 1996 in Israel
8 Boas Letzer Paldi
7 Ruty Letzter Bom: 1945
+Oded Zur
8 CJiagai Zur Bom: in Israel
+ldit Bom: m Israel
9 Jorai Zur Bom: 2001 in israel
8 Dorit Zur Bom: in Israel
+tjiaim Bom: in israel
9 Ron Zur Chaim Bom: 1999 in Israel
9 Aviv Zur Chaim Bom: 1999 in israel
8 Asaf Zur
+Ilagit
9 Ido Zur Bom: 1999 in Israel
6 Martin Katz Bom: March 10, 1920
-fRifka Schwartz Bom: November 22, 1922
7 Eli Katz Bom: September 11, 1947
+Rachel
8 Shiri Katz
8 Ami Katz
7 Hagai Katz Bom: September 28, 1950
+Tova
8 Asaf Katz
8 Anat Katz
8 NiritKatz
7 Gabi Katz Bom: December 24, 1953
+Alisa
8 Amir Katz
8 Zachi Katz
8 Naama Katz
8 .laara Katz
5 Frieda Spiess Bom: January 1 5, 1 885 in Haehniein Died: March 27, 1984 in Montevideo, Umguay
5 Moses Mas Weil Spiess Bom: August 19, 1883 in Haehniein Died: Febmary 08, 1971 in Buenos Aires
+Bertha Rosenfeld Bom: June 02, 1895 in Stuttgart Died: May 16, 1983 in Buenos Aires
6 Haima Dorothea Spiess Bom: April 23, 1921 in Frankfurt am Main
+Egbert Meyer Bom: September 17, 1917 in Hamburg, Germany Died: January 07, 1995 in Lausanne,
Switzerland Married: December 12, 1943
20
7 Daniel Claudio Meyer Born: January 27, 1945 in Buenos Aoires Died: December 05, 1994 in Sao
Paulo, Brazil
+Marian Van de Veen Born: May 2J, 1948 in Breda, NL Married: September 15, 1971
8 Melanie Meyer Born: April 1 1, 1978 in Sao Paulo, Brazil
.... 7 Madelaine Gaby Meyer Born: April 03, 1954 in Montevideo, Uruguay
+Frank Linden Born: May 27, 1957 in Sorengo ,CH Married: October 07, 1988
.... 6 Margot Regina Spiess Born: December 24, 1923 in Frankfurt am Main
4-Enrique (Heinz) Jakob Jacobi Born: October 01, 1922 in Stuttart, Germany Married: March 23,
1947 in Buenos Aires
7 Pedro Roberto Jacobi Born: January 01, 1950 in Buenos Aires
_...... +Rosa Moyses
_....... 8 Marina Moyses Jacobi Born: October 19, 1980 in Sao Paulo
............... 7 Andres Miguel Jacobi Born: September 16, 1952 in Buenos Aires
+Claudia Cecila Blaszkowski Born: November 15, 1954 in Buenos Aires Married: February 22,
1976
8 Tomas Jacobi Born: January 01, 1977
*2nd Wife of Andres Miguel Jacobi:
..... +Olga llak Born: February 15, 1957 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa Married: August 19, 1989
in Sao Paulo
8 Rebekah Jacobi Born: September 19, 1992 in Libertyville, III. USA
............... 5 Sophie Spiess Born: September 13, 1890 in Haehniein Died: June 17, 1982 in Chicago, III
+Julius David Born: November 17, 1884 Died: June 17, 1949 in Chicago, III
6 Kurt David Born: November 06, 1920
+MargotWolf Born: September 21, 1920
7 Jacqueline D. David Bom: December 01, 1951 in Chicago, III
+Theodor Mazzone Born: December 11, 1950
8 Lisa Mazzone Born: June 23, 1981 in Wilmette, III
8 Mark D. Mazzone Born: September 21, 1984 in Wilmette, III
8 Steven R. Mazzone Mazzone Born: November 12, 1991 in Wilmette, III
7 Wendy A. David Born: July 25, 1954 in Chicago, 111
........ 5 Else Spiess Died: in Gurs Concentration Camp
.... — ....... — +Bruno Weinberg Died: December 1938 in Gurs Concentration Camp
6 Guenter Weinberg Born: 1924 Died: in Gurs Concentration Camp
...... 6 Rosel W'einberg Born: May 08, 1926 in Manbeimm
+Badrian
5 Ida Spiess Born: 1900 in Haehniein Died: February 24, 1933 in Alsbach-Hacbnlein-Z.wingenberg Jewish
Cemetery
+Otto Neuberger Born: November 17, 1886 in Korb Died: March 08, 1943 in Theresienstadt Concentration
Camp
6 lx)re Neuberger Born: December 27, 1921 Died: May 30, 1949 in Davos Jewish Cemetery
+Walter Garner
— 6 Walter Gabriel Neuberger Born: August 17, 1926 in Mannheim
..... ...... — ................. +Lea Bilsld Born: October 06, 1929 in Jerusalem Married: January 12, 1955
7 Michal Neuberger Born: December 28, 1957 in Israel
+Jonatan Almog Born: August 19, 1954 in Israel Married: April 02, 1979
8 Elik Almog Born: November 27, 1979 in Israel
— — 8 Lidor Almog Born: July 14, 1983 in Israel
— 8 Nir Almog Born: July 1 1, 1988 in Israel
— „... 7 Jehonatan Seev Neuberger Born: January 22, 1956 in Israel
.„ — +Ruth Reiss Born: August 16, 1955 Married: July 03, 1979
™.~_ — ..._ 8 Noa-Adi Neuberger Born: July 17, 1980 in Israel
8 Eran Neuberger Born: October 11, 1984 in Israel
8 Niv Neuberger Born: May 06, 1990 in Israel
7 Ruth Neuberger Born: April 09, 1963 in Israel
-t-Yair Rivlin Born: December 18, 1961 in Israel Married: August 03, 1988
8 Amir Rivlin Born: April 17, 1991 in Israel
8 Adi Rivlin Bom: May 28, 1993 in Israel
8 Roy Rivlin Born: April 01, 1997 in Israel
4 Adolf Weil Born: August 26, 1859 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: November 15, 1931 in Buenos Aires
+JanetteJenny Kirchbeimer Born: April II, 1870 in Berwangen Died: May 27, 1965 in Buenos Aires
. — 5 Josef ( Seppel) Weil Bom: April 15, 1891 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: August 23, 1964 in Buenos Aires
— — -fllilde Gottschalk Born: December 07, 1895 in Stuttgart Died: May 18, 1987 in Buenos Aires
6 Alfredo Leopoldo Weil Born: April 21, 1925 in Buenos Aires Died: May 06, 1985 in I^ndon, England
— -t-Mina Rosenbaum Bom: February 12, 1926 in Monfalcone, Italy
7 Ruben Adolf Weil Born: March 02, 1952 in Buenos Aires
— — — -i-Shelly Melzer Bom: January 10, 1953 in Israel
8 Or Weil Born: November 06, 1982 in Tel Aviv
— 8 Shir Weil Born: May 27, 1985 in Tel Aviv
8 Dana Weil Bom: October 15, 1990 in Tel Aviv
— 8 TalWeil Born: April 14, 1996 in Tel Aviv
...._. 7 Daniel Weil Bom: September 08, 1953 in Buenos Aires
-t-Sara Jane Fleminger Bom: March 17, 1952 in I>ondon,England
— 8 Anna Rose Weil Born: September 28, 1984 in london, England
8 Rebecca Lilly Weil Born: March 15, 1987 in london, England
8 Benjamin Joseph Weil Born: August 1 1, 1993 in london, England
21
7 Gabriel Weil Born: February 01, 1955 in Buenos Aires
+Claudia Rulb Cielfand Born: April 25, 1956 in Buenos Aires
8 Sheila Weil Born: May 27, 1983 in Buenos Aires
8 Maia Weil Born: May 22, 1984 in Buenos Aires
8 Dalila Weil Born: November 01, 1988 in Buenos Aires
8 Tomas Weil Born: April 06, 1995 in Buenos Aires
..... 7 Miguel Enrique Weil Born: October 12, 1962 in Buenos Aires
+Dalit Razin Born: January 28, 1964 in Jerusalem, Israel
8 Nir Alfredo Weil Born: December 19, 1990 in Jerusalem, Israel
8 AmitWeil Born: March 20, 1995 in London, England Died: December 07, 1995 in
London, England
8 Ron Weil Born: September 19, 1997 in London, England
...... 8 Oren Weil Born: January 08, 2002 in Tel Aviv
6 Carlos Abraham Weil Born: July 05, 1928 in Buenos Aires
+Mizi Rosenbaum Born: June 08, 1927 in Monfalcone, Italy Married: August 01, 1952
7 Rafael Gustavo Weil Born: July 22, 1961 in Buenos Aires
-t-Rosario Correa Born: January 23, 1963 in Maldonado, Uruguay
8 Antonella Clara Weil Born: January 25, 1990 in Buenos Aires
8 Laila Weil Born: September 12, 1996 in Buenos Aires
8 Martina Weil Born: September 12, 1996 in Buenos Aires
7 Ariel Maurico Weil Born: March 26, 1963 in Buenos Aires
............... — ...... +Amelia De Los Santos Born: July 02, 1960 in Maldonado, Uruguay
8 Nicolas Alfredo Weil Born: May 07, 1992 in Buenos Aires
5 Isidor Weil Born: August 11, 1893 in steinfurt, Germany Died: January 07, 1965 in Buenos Aires
+Anni Adler Born: October 31, 1906 in Antwerp Died: July 19, 1970 in Buenos Aires
5 Flora Weil Born: May 12, 1900 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: April 19, 1987 in Buenos Aires
+Felix Frohman Born: October 27, 1889 Died: 1952
.... ........ 6 Jorge Frobman Born: August 09, 1923 in Mannheim,Germany
+Gerda Elias Born: April 15, 1925 in Hamburg Died: April 02, 1998 in Buenos Aires
7 Monica Frobman Born: April 13, 1951
-i-Roberto Dvantman
.... — 8 Daniela Dvantman Born: October 10, 1975 in Buenos Aires
8 Martin Dvantman Born: May 24, 1978 in Buenos Aires
7 Roberto Frobman Born: August 25, 1954 in Buenos Aires
+Renata Spielmann Born: October 16, 1954 in Buenos Aires Married: April 1 1, 1981
8 Andres Frobman Born: February 17, 1986
— *2nd Wife of Roberto F'rohman:
+Maria Isabael Vau Gelderen Born: November 12, 1957 in Buenos Aires Married: April 19,
1994
— 8 Denise Frobman Born: November 08, 1994 in Buenos Aires
6 Luis Jose Frobman Born: April 22, 1926 in Mannheim, Germany
... -t-Sara Kind Born: July 20, 1924
7 Ricardo Mario Frobman Born: April 13, 1955 in Montevideo, Uruguay
- -t-Claudia Zaid Born: March 21, 1959 in Buenos Aires
8 Barbara Denise Frobman Born: October 06, 1986 in Buenos Aires
8 Marina Gabriela Frobman Born: August 29, 1981 in Buenos Aires
7 Denise Frobman Born: December 13, 1956 in Montevideo, Uruguay Died: December 07, 1979 in
Buenos Aires
— 7 David Frobman Born: December 08, 1969 in Buenos Aires
......... .......... *2nd Husband of Flora Weil:
........................ — ... ... +Jacques Ettlinger Born: December IS, 1902 in Bretten,Germany Died: November 16, 1971 in Buenos Aires
5 Kurt Weil Born: April 26, 1902 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: March 14, 1995
-tllilda Goldschmidt Born: September 01, 1916 in Frankfurt Germany
6 Susanne America Weil Born: October 12, 1937 Died: July 13, 1940
— 6 Armando Francisco Weil Born: December 17, 1938
+ I^a
7 Guilad Weil Born: December 21, 1962
— +Adriana Maeira
_ — — — — 8 Ian Weil Born: September 04, 1998
— 7 Daniela Weil Born: March 1 1, 1967
— 6 Gabriela Carmen Weil Born: November 15, 1940
................... ....„ +Peter ErnestoTrein Born: October 24, 1935
7 Carlos Alberto Trein Born: November 19, 1963
— +Simone Lamb Born: April 29, 1967
... — — 8 Juliana Lamb Trein Born: October 19, 1993
— — — 8 Rafael Lamb Trein Born: August 17, 1997
— . — 7 Claudia Trein Born: December 27, 1965
..................... -f- Julio Kling
8 Pedro Cesar Kling Born: December 28, 1992
8 Flora Selma Kling Born: February 04, 1996
— — — 7 Paulo Ernesto Trein Born: September 26, 1967
.... -t-Josiraar Malcum Born: May 01, 1966
8 Paula Trein Born: August 25, 1996
— — 8 Daniel Trein Born: March 26, 2001
6 Ivonne Beatrice Weil Born: December 15, 1944
22
+Wolfgang Wegmann
7 Michael Wegmaon Boro: October 21, 1972
7 Marianne Wegmann Born: October 25, 1974 Died: August 14, 1979
5 Max Weil Born: May 15, 1897 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: December 17, 1978 in Buenos Aires
+LeonorWeil Born: February 24, 1907 in Lima Peru Died: June 28, 1970 in Buenos Aires
6 Ruth Fanny Weil Born: March 12, 1931 in Montevideo, Uruguay Died: July 10, 1993 in Buenos Aires
........... +Simon Mazer Born: February 19, 1921 in Mar del Plata, Argentina Died: October 10, 1998 in Buenos
Aires
......... 7 Ariel Roberto Mazer Born: April 30, 1955 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
-f Irene S. Guiter Born: February 1 1, 1959 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
8 Mia Stephanie Mazer Born: November 14, 1990 in Boston, Mass
8 Noah Dylan Mazer Born: February 20, 1997 in New York, NewYork
7 David Julius Mazer Born: April 28, 1959
6 Lilian Adolflna Weil Born: July 23, 1934
+l.eon Bernstein-liahn Born: September 27, 1928 in Buenos Aires
7 Gaston Bernstein Born: December 08, 1960 in Buenos Aires
+Adrienne Hahn Born: October 11, 1961 in NewYork
8 Daniel Maximo Bernstein Born: May 10, 1991 in Los Angeles, California
8 Matthew Alan Bernstein Born: March 15, 1993 in Los Angeles, California
*2nd Wife of Gaston Bernstein:
+Sandy Steiner Born: March 16, 1971 in Los Angeles, California Married: June 27, 1999
.................... 8 Gabriela Berta Bernstein Born: March 26, 2001
... 7 Gloria Lia (Weil) Bernstein Born: November 11, 1966 in Buenos Aires
+Sebastian Gil Born: June 26, 1971 in Buenos Aires
8 Santiago Joaquin Gil Born: September 02, 1996 in Buenos Aires
8 Carolina Mercedes Gil Born: May 22, 2000 in Buenos Aires
I Ferdinand Weil Born: May 26, 1861 Died: 1910
+llella Bernecker
5 LottiWeil
............ +Fred Pollock Born: 1894 in Stuttgart Died: 1970 in Frankfurt
I |3| Bertha Weil Born: March 16, 1863 Died: June 12, 1923
+|2| Samuel Weil Born: May 09, 1859 Died: January 03, 1933 Married: May 15, 1887
5 |4|GettaWeil Born: March 28, 1889
+|5| Maximilian Mayer
5 |6| Flora Julia Weil Born: December 01, 1890 Died: 1964 in Sackingen
+[71 Julius Stern Born: September 30, 1882 in Horb Died: in World War I
...... 6 |8| Liesbeth Stern Born: February 12, 1915
-i-|9| Hans Schwab
*2nd Husband of |6| Flora Julia Weil:
Mark Klatschko Married: October 07, 1930
5 |ll| Paula Weil Born: June 17, 1892
+\12] Karl Herscbell Born: May 18, 1871 in Bonn Married: October 28, 1919
6 (13| Inge Herscbell
+|14| Manfredo Neuberger
7 |15| Roberto Neuberger
- — 6 [16| Fritz Herscbell Died: in Died in car accident
....... 5 |17| Lilly Weil Born: January 21, 1893
— 5 |I8| Friedrich Weil Born: June 27, 1895 Died: in World War I
.. — . 5 1 1 9| Johanna Weil Born: January 03, 1897 Died: March 17, 1972 in Porto Alegre, Brazil
+|20| Siegfried Weil Born: June 20, 1900 Died: February 1941 in Porto Alegre, Brazil Married: December
28, 1927
— 6 |21 1 Berta Weil Born: April 05, 1929 in Steinsfurt
+|22| Aureliano Ferreira Born: October 25, 1925 in Porto Alegre, Brazil Died: October 06, 1990 in
Porto Alegre, Brazil Married: in Porto Alegre, Brazil
7 |23] Cinara Weil Ferreira Born: March 12, 1952
7 (24| Jaina Ferreira Born: February 27, 1951
...» +|25| Bittencourt
8 |26| Jose Augsto Ferreira Bittencourt Born: June 01, 1978
8 |27| Tiago Bittencourt Born: September 22, 1980
7 |28| Lenira Weil Ferreira Born: November 10, 1955
5 |29] Alice Weil Born: February 26, 1902
+IJ0) Zuntz
*2nd Husband of |29| Alice Weil:
+|31 1 Karl Rosenfeld Born: June 02, 1900 Married: December 16, 1923
..... 6 (32| Enriquie Rosenfeld
t-|33| Margarita Knopfelmacher
........ — . 7 |34| Silva Rosenfeld
7 |35| Carlos Rosenfeld
5 |36| Josef Siegmund Weil Born: December 12, 1904
+|37| Ines Wallach Born: in Lima Peru Married: 1934
6 |38| Sonia Beatriz Weil Born: 1936 in Buenos Aires
-t|39| Horst Werner Wertheimer Born: 1938
...... — .»...._ — _ 7 |40| Claudio Daniel Wertheimer Born: 1958
— .„ 7 |4I I Andres Ricardo Wertheimer
I Jette Weil Born: January 20, 1865
23
i~J\J
-t-Jsaak Kahn Born: April 01, 1859
Samuel Weil Born: January 02, 1867 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: 1922 in Buenos Aires
+Alice Weismann Born: in Mannheim Died: July 12, 1971 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
5 Peter Weil Born: May 20, 1905 Died: August 03, 1971
+Carola Edelstein Born: October 08, 1915 in Zurich, Switzerland
6 Andres Diego Weil Born: August 06, 1938 in Buenos Aires, Argentina Died: 1999 in Buenos Aires
Argentina
+Maria Matilde Ocampo Born: October 05, 1946 in Buenos Aires Married: November 07, 1966
7 Sofia Ines Weil Born: April 14, 1972 in Buenos Aires
-fMaximo Pablo Speroni Born: June 27, 1968 in Buenos Aires, Argentina Married: September
30, 1995
8 Sofia Magdalena Speroni Born: December 1 1, 1998 in Buenos Aires. Argentina
8 Maximo Tobias Speroni Born: August 05, 2000 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
........................... 7 Maria Valeria Weil Born: February 02, 1975 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
-HAugusto Pulenta Born: April 28, 1973 in Buenos Aires, Argentina Married: August 25, 2001
..... 6 Silvia Weil Born: July 10, 1940
+Bauttista II Salemme Born: January 16, 1937 in Buenos Aires Married: June 29, 1962
7 Diego Salemme Born: March 04, 1963
+Gabriela Samberg Haedo Married: November 02, 1990
8 Julieta Salemme Born: January 28, 1997
8 Matias Salemme Born: January 28, 1997
8 Victoria Salemme Born: February 15, 2001
7 Alejandro Salemme Born: March 04, 1963
-i-Carmcn Maria Ocampo Married: March 13, 1992
8 Lucas Salemme Born: September 22, 1995
8 Marcos Salemme Born: August 23, 1998
..... ...... 7 Marina Salemme Born: June 14, 1965
+Fernando Diaz Canton Married: November 1 1, 1989
8 Florencia Canton Born: April 04, 1991
8 Carolina Canton Born: January 06, 1995
8 Frederico Canton Born: April 16, 1998
7 Marcelo Salemme Born: December 19, 1966
+Silvana Vincente Married: in 11/20/1993
8 Lucia Ana Salemme Born: July 25, 1998
7 Ignacio Salemme Born: July 05, 1969
7 Javier Salemme Born: November 08, 1979
*2nd Wife of Peter Weil:
+Erika Arzensek
6 Thomas Roberto Weil Born: November 22, 1949 in Buenos Aires
Herman Weil Born: September 18, 1868 in Steinfurt, Germany Died: October 03, 1927 in Frankfurt Germany
+Rosa Weismann Born: 1872 in Mannheim Germany Died: 1912 in Frankfurt Germany
— 5 Felix Weil Born: February 08, 1898 in Buenos Aires Died: September 18, 1975 in Dover Delaware
+Katherina Bechert Died: January 04, 1996 in New York City Married: 1921
6 Frank E.G. Weil Born: October 23, 1924 in Frankfurt, Germany Died: January 09, 2001 in
Washington, D.C
...... +Valerie Married: 1957
*2nd Wife of Frank E.G. Weil:
+Lynn Blank Married: 1962
*3rd Wife of Frank E.G. Weil:
+Dorothy Married: 1971
*4th Wife of Frank E.G. Weil:
— +Barbara Cortney Born: January 1929 Married: December 04, 1982
*2nd Wife of Felix Weil:
+Lucille Jacobowitz Born: November 11, 1911 in Stuttgart, Germany Married: March 14, 1939 in New York
»3rd Wife of Felix Weil:
— +IIelen Married: 1943
*4th Wife of Felix Weil:
... +Anne Bom: in Frankfurt Married: 1950
...... 5 Anita Weil Born: 1901 in Buenos Aires Died: 1951 in Punta Del Este, Uruguay
— ....... -fAdoir Wilhelm Krummer Born: 1894 in Germany Died: 1974 in Germany
— ...„. 6 Adolf Krummer Born: May 09, 1921 in Charlottenburg, Germany
... +Carmen Maria Jacob Born: March 11, 1927 in Buenos Aires
...... 7 Martin Krummer Born: 1950 in Buenos Aires Died: 1976 in Argentina
7 Miguel Krummer Born: April 08, 1953 in Buenos Aires
8 Veronica Krummer Born: 1977 in Argentina
8 Carolina Krummer Born: 1981 in Argentina
7 Luz Krummer Born: 1958 in Buenos Aires
....... *2nd Husband of Anita Weil:
^Theodor Heymann Gonzala
6 Iris Weil Gonzala Born: November 24, 1930
-t- Alfred Brendel Born: in Vienna
7 Doris Weil Gonzala Brendel Born: 1969 in Vienna, Austria
*3rd Husband of Anita Weil:
-t-ilerbert Hoffman
Elise Weil Born: April 26, 1870
il
+FischolT
S Alicia FischoiT Died: in Buenos Aires
-i-Barta Died: in Concentration Camp
4 Frieda Weil Born: May 04, 1872
+Abraham Lebmann Born: December 07, 1867 Married: August 12, 1896
5 Josef Sepple Lehmann
+Liesel Meerapfel
6 Raul Lehmann
6 Silvia Lehmann
+Davis
5 Fritz Lehmann
+Lotti Meyer
5 Flora Lehmann
+Ludwig Levi
4 Hanna Weil Born: October 27, 1875
+Richard Weil
5 Julius Josef Weil Born: 1901 Died: August 21, 1965
... +Elizabeth Schwarzchild
6 Andres Weil Born: May 01, 1935 in Antwerp, Belgium
+Noemi H. Campori Espinosa Born: September 28, 1941 in Buenos Aires
7 Pablo Weil Born: May 19, 1961 in Buenos Aires
+Mariana Paredes Born: May 04, 1969 in Buenos Aires
— 8 Martina Weil Born: July 31, 1993 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
8 JulietaWeil Born: September 01, 1997 in Charleston, S.C.
— 8 Geronimo Weil Born: March 03, 2001 in Argentina
.... — — 7 Federico Weil Born: May 05, 1965 in Buenos Aires
. — 6 Juan Pedro Weil Born: May 12, 1943 in Buenos Aires
+BeatrizCristaldo Born: August 01, 1950 in Buenos Aires
7 Monica Fernanda Weil Born: September 01, 1987
3 Samuel Weil Born: September 06, 1828
3 [42] Elke Weil Born: February 16, 1822
+1 1 1 Veis Moses Weil Born: January 01, 1821
2 MoisesWeil Born: July 03, 1774
+Gutgen Born: October 07, 1784 Died: March 23, 1838
3 Lilly Weil Born: June 09, 1814
3 |1| Veis Moses Weil Born: January 01, 1821
— . — .... +Elka Weil Born: February 16, 1822 in (Elise geb) Daughter of Samuel Weil
4 Babette Weil Boro: April 29, 1847 in Steinsfurt Germany Died: May 29, 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia
— ...... — +Vietor Freitag Born: June 19, 1838 in Stuttgart, Germany Died: August 09, 1919 in Atlanta Georgia
— — .. 5 Joseph Victor Freitag Born: August 05, 1893 in New York, NY Died: July 14, 1961 in Atlanta, Georgia
— +Esther Brail Adler Born: June 26, 1899 in Russia Died: November 16, 1994 in Atlanta, Georgia Married:
October 24, 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia
— 6 Sonia Babette Freitag Born: February 13, 1928 in Atlanta, Georgia
„.... +Raymond Louis Kuniansky Married: May 31, 1950 in Atlanta, Georgia
.... — — 7 Eve Freitag Kuniansky Born: January 04, 1955 in Atlanta, Georgia
— +M.1I Santiago Born: 1951
— 7 Joanne Sonia Kuniansky Born: February 21, 1953 in Atlanta, Georgia
-t-Ron Paulsen Born: 1953 in Australia
... 7 Raymond Louis Knniansky^r Born: October 19, 1956
— +Paula Beard Born: August 20, 1952
8 Marc lx>uis Kuniansky Born: May 12, 1994 in NewOrleansJ^A
- - 6 Joseph Victor Freitag Jr. Born: April 07, 1924 in Atlanta, Georgia Died: January 12, 1981 in New
York
— ....... 5 Clara Freitag Born: December 10, 1863 in New York, NY Died: August 27, 1940 in Atlanta, Georgia
+Simon Metzger Born: December 10, 1863 Died: August 27, 1940
6 Herbert Metzger
6 Sydney Metzger
+lrma Born: in Salema, Alabama
7 Katherine Metzger Born: 1925
... — .......... — ............................. 7 Sydney Metzger, Jr. Born: 1928
— 7 Claire Metzger Born: 1930
...... — 5 Simon Freitag Born: in New York
+lsabel Moore
— 6 Arline Freitag
............ ........... ...... +Leon F'rohsin
7 Leon Frohsin, Jr.
— ..... ......... +IIay
8 Kim Frohsin
8 Leon Frohsin HI
... ..... 5 Leo Freitag
+Florence Dettlebach
6 Victor Freitag
— ..... 6 Amelia Freitag
— ................ -t-Normal Lobsenz
.... 7 Michael l^obsenz
i.AJw I well
*2nd Husband of Amelia Freitag:
+ Harry Abraham
7 Kay Abraham
5 David Freitag
.... +Annie
6 Barbara F'reitag
6 Betty F'reitag
5
5
Albert Freitag
Ida Freitag Born: June 09, 1868 in New York, NY Died: March 13, 1956 in Atlanta, Georgia
+Morris B. Schlesinger Born: December 29, 1861 Died: January 19, 1916 in Atlanta
5 Bessie Freitag Born: July 19, 1880 in New York,NY Died: June 19, 1958 in Atlanta, Georgia
vJulian Joseph Brummer Born: October 17, 1866 Died: December IS, 1938 in Atlanta
4 Moritz Weil Born: August 28, 1849 Died: December 22, 1923
.. +Regina Levi Born: March 25, 1852 in Herxheim Died: May 08, 1928 Married: December 26, 1883
5 Karoline Weil Born: August 27, 1885
Elsa Weil Born: July 30, 1886
Julius Weil Born: November 15, 1888 Died: in Died in W.W.I
Jenny Weil Born: November 14, 1889
Selma Weil Born: March 20, 1893
4 Lina Weil Born: February 08, 1851
4 Hanna Weil Born: March 20, 1853
+Gluck Salomon Born: April 10, 1827
.... ... 4 Leopold Weil Born: March 07, 1857
...................... 4 Sigmund Weil Born: January 02, 1866
4 |2J Samuel Weil Born: May 09, 1859 Died: January 03, 1933
— +[3j Bertha Weil Born: March 16, 1863 Died: June 12, 1923 Married: May 15, 1887
5 |4] Getta Weil Born: March 28, 1889
-t-|S| Maximilian Mayer
5 |6| F'lora Julia Weil Born: December 01, 1890 Died: 1964 in Sackingen
+|7| Julius Stern Born: September 30, 1882 in Horb Died: in World War I
6 |8| Liesbeth Stern Born: February 12, 1915
+|9| Hans Schwab
*2nd Husband of |6| Flora Julia Weil:
+|10| Mark Klatschko Married: October 07, 1930
5 |1 1 1 Paula Weil Born: June 17, 1892
- +(12| Karl Herschell Born: May 18, 1871 in Bonn Married: October 28, 1919
6 |13| Inge Herschell
+|14| Manfredo Neuberger
— 7 |1S| Roberto Neuberger
6 |16| Fritz Herschell Died: in Died in car accident
5 |17| Lilly Weil Born: January 21, 1893
5 |18| Friedrich Weil Born; June 27, 1895 Died: in World War I
5 1 1 9| Johanna Weil Born: January 03, 1897 Died: March 17, 1972 in Porto Alegre, Brazil
+(20| Siegfried Weil Born: June 20, 1900 Died: February 1941 in Porto Alegre, Brazil Married: December
28, 1927
— - 6 |2I I Berta Weil Born: April 05, 1929 in Sleinsfurt
— +|22| Aureliano Ferreira Born: October 25, 1925 in Porto Alegre, Brazil Died: October 06, 1990 in
Porto Alegre, Brazil Married: in Porto Alegre, Brazil
— 7 |23| Cinara Weil Ferreira Born: March 12, 1952
... — ............. 7 |24| Jaina Ferreira Born: February 27, 1951
— +I25J Bittencourt
........ — 8 |26] Jose Augsto Ferreira Bittencourt Born: June 01, 1978
......_ 8 |27] Tiago Bittencourt Born: September 22, 1980
- 7 |28| Lenira Weil Ferreira Born: November 10, 1955
5 (29| Alice Weil Born: February 26, 1902
.... — +130 1 Zuntz
*2nd Husband of |29| Alice Weil:
............ — +|31 1 Karl Rosenfeld Born: June 02, 1900 Married: December 16, 1923
— 6 |32| Enriquie Rosenfeld
.............. +|33| Margarita Knopfelmacher
.... — ....... .... 7 |34| Silva Rosenfeld
.... — — .............. ....... 7 (35| Carlos Rosenfeld
— .. — ... 5 |36| Josef Siegmund Weil Born: December 12, 1904
— +|37| Ines Wallach Born: in Lima Peru Married: 1934
6 |38| Sonia Beatriz Weil Born: 1936 in Buenos Aires
— +|39| Horst Werner Wertheimer Born: 1938
7 |40| Claudio Daniel Wertheimer Born: 1958
7 |4 1 1 Andres Ricardo Wertheimer
4 Carolina Weil Born: April 05, 1855
... — ._ *2nd Wife of |1| Veis Moses Weil:
... +142) Elke Weil Born: February 16, 1822
2 Nathan Weil Born: March 16, 1775 Died: September 17, 1845
.... +Sara Wertheimer Born: August 19, 1780 Died: November 12, 1841
3 Feis Weil Born: April 15, 1802
3 Bella Weil Born: July 29, 1804
26
3 GillaWeil Born: April 09, 1806
3 Hanna Weil Born: November 10, 1809
3 Seligmann Nathan Weil Born: October 07, 1812 Died: June 16, 1864
+Sophie Kahn Born: 1817 in Wollenberg Died: January 23, 1897
4 Max Weil Born: February 14, 1843
... _....... +Lilly Buxmann Born: 1844
.... 5 Seligmann Weil
-tEmilie Weil
6 Fanny Weil Born: October 10, 1872
6 Frieda Weil Born: December 21, 1873
6 Heinrich Weil Born: December 25, 1874
6 Sophie Weil Born: April 25, 1878
6 Bernhard Weil Burn: October 18, 1879
6 Nathan Weil Born: May 31, 1881
4 Sara Sophie Weil Born: April 28, 1844 Died: August 16, 1906
-)-Simon Kahn
5 Max Kahn Born: February 23, 1877 Died: 1944 in New York
+Mina Wimpfheimer Born: April 04, 1879 in Ittlingen Died: 1956 in USA
...... 6 Sophie Kahn Born: October 15, 1909
6 Berta Kahn Born: September 15, 1910
6 Greta Kahn Born: October 07, 1913
5 Nathalia Kahn Kahn Born: February 26, 1879
..... 4 Leopold Weil Born: October 21, 1847
-i-Hannchen Billigheimer
5 Sophie Weil Born: January 23, 1877
5 Ida Weil Born: March 01, 1878
4 Israel Weil Born: October 27, 1853
........ 2 Isaak Weil Born: January 04, 1776 Died: February 16, 1855
+Sara Liebmann Born: October 09, 1790 Died: November 13, 1874
3 Bulla Weil Born: January 24, 1816
3 Moses Weil Born: May 11, 1817
3 Johanna Weil Born: October 20, 1821
„... 3 Liebman Weil Born: January 08, 1824
2 Anschel Weil Born: February 07, 1796
+Mina Leuthar Born: 1796 in Bayern Died: April 09, 1863
3 Low Weil Born: April 03, 1829
3 David Weil Born: March 22, 1836
3 Josef Weil Born: August 30, 1841
... 2 Hanna Weil Born: May 05, 1806
+Isaak Moses Weil
27
Index of Individuals
(Adelheid) -
Edel: 15
(Salomon) -
Karl Weil; 5, 15
Abraham -
Harry: 26
Kay: 26
Acmen -
Freda: 17
Adler -
Anni: 22
Esther Brail: 25
Sophie: 5, 18
Alisa -
Unnamed: 20
Almog -
Elik; 21
Jonatan: 21
Lidor; 21
Nir: 21
Alsberg -
Josh: 16
Noah; 16
Steve: 1 6
Anne -
Unnamed; 24
Annie -
Unnamed: 26
Aron -
Edice: 17
Elsie: 19
Arzensek -
Erika: 24
Back -
Lawrence Rudolph; 1 5
Badrian -
Unnamed: 21
Baer -
Friedrich; 18
Irene: 18, 19
Balkin -
Abigail: 15
Andrew: 15
Howard B.: 15
Jeffi-ey Edward: 1 5
Jordan: 15
Joshua: 15
Mark Allen: 15
Richard Scott: 15
Robert Frank; 1 5
Victoria: 15
Barta -
Unnamed: 25
Bashan -
Hadar: 20
Jaron: 20
Tamar; 20
Baum -
Archie David: 19
Beard -
Paula: 25
Bechert -
Katherina: 24
Bendorf -
Alice: 19
Berman -
Sharon: 17
Bernecker -
Hella; 12,23
Berner -
Amy: 18
Bernstein -
Daniel Maximo: 23
Gabriela Berta: 23
Gaston; 23
Gloria Lia (Weil): 23
Matthew Alan: 23
Bernstein-Hahn -
Leon: 23
Bezemann -
Adruana: 1 9
Bierig -
Isaak: 10, 17
Siegfried; 17
Billigheimer -
Hannchen; 27
Bilski -
Lea: 21
Bittencourt -
Unnamed: 23, 26
Jose Augsto Ferreira: 23, 26
Tiago: 23, 26
Blandenier -
Andre: 18
Elise; 18
Maude: 1 8
Ruth Levi: 18
Sonya; 18
Blank -
Lynn; 24
Blaszkowski -
Claudia Cecila; 21
Bloch -
Moritz: 9, 19
Blum -
Randee; 15
Bonnie -
Unnamed: 17
Bradshaw -
Stacy: 17
Brendel -
Alfred: 24
Doris Weil Gonzala: 24
Broomall -
Virgina Leigh: 16
Brummer -
Julian Joseph: 26
28
Buxmann -
Lilly; 27
Buzby -
Sheila: 16
Campbell -
Patricia: 17
Canton -
Carolina: 24
Fernando Diaz: 24
Florencia; 24
Frederico: 24
Caterine -
Unnamed: 1 8
Chaim -
Unnamed: 20
Aviv Zur: 20
Ron Zur: 20
Cohen -
Sally; 17
Contreras -
Juan Manuel Zaragoza: 18
Cookie -
(name: Carmen Maria Jacob): 24
Correa -
Rosario: 22
Cortney -
Barbara: 24
Crista Ido -
Beatriz: 25
David -
Jacqueline D.: 21
Julius: 21
Kurt; 21
Wendy A.: 21
Davis -
Unnamed: 25
de Klerk -
Flelena Adriana: 18
Katharina Rosalinde: 18
Pieter: 18
De Los Santos -
Amelia: 22
Delachaux -
Gunther Levi: 18
Regina: 18
Yvan: 18
Dettlebach -
Florence; 25
Dorothy -
Unnamed: 24
Dungan -
Karla Cramer: 1 5
Powell Douglas: 15
Dvantman -
Daniela; 22
Martin: 22
Roberto; 22
Edelsheimer -
Bertha: 6, 18
Edelstein -
Carola: 24
Eichtersheimer -
Sophie; 15
Elias -
Gerda: 22
ErnestoTrein -
Peter; 22
Espinosa -
Noemi H. Campori; 25
Ettlinger -
Jacques: 22
Feil-
Claudia Beatrice Warren: 18
Edward Gustav: 1 8
Edward Rosewater: 1 8
Ethan Julius Warren: 18
Kenneth Jonathan: 1 8
Feis-Weil -
Low; 15
Ferber -
Hilda: 17
Ferreira -
Aureliano: 23, 26
Cinara Weil: 23, 26
Jaina; 23, 26
Lenira Weil: 23, 26
Fischoff-
Unnamed: 13, 25
Alicia: 25
Fish-
(name: Adoll'Krummer): 24
Fleminger -
Sara Jane: 21
Frank -
Alice: 15
Frankel -
Hanna; 1 9
Freitag -
Albert; 26
Amelia: 25, 26
Arline: 25
Barbara: 26
Bessie: 26
Betty: 26
Clara: 25
David: 26
Ida; 26
Joseph Victor: 25
Leo: 25
Simon: 25
Sonia Babette; 25
Victor; 25
Victor; 25
Fröhlich -
Regina; 17
Frohman -
Andres; 22
Barbara Denise: 22
David: 22
Denise: 22
Denise: 22
Felix; 22
Jorge: 22
29
1
Luis Jose; 22
Hagit -
Marina Gabriela: 22
Unnamed: 20
1
Monica; 22
Hahn -
1
Ricardo Mario: 22
Adrienne: 23
Roberto: 22
Hak-
■
Frobsin -
Olga: 21
1
Kim; 25
Hay -
Leon: 25
Unnamed: 25
f
Leon ni: 25
Leon , Jr.: 25
Hays -
Carrie Halle: 18
1
Garner -
George Halle , Jr: 18
Walter; 21
Max Wilbom Berner-: 18
Gasner -
Peter Weil: 18
■
Dorothy Winick; 1 6
Rachael Berner-: 18
■
Emily B: 16
Will Halle: 18
Katherine Weil: 16
Helen -
■
Stuart: 16
Unnamed: 24
1
Gebier -
Herschell -
V
Ellen Marla: 17
Fritz; 23, 26
Fred: 17
Inge: 23, 26
Genet -
Karl: 23,26
Ellen: 15
Hirschber^ -
Georgia na -
Bilha: 20
_ Unnamed; 16
Eli: 20
I
Gern -
Gila: 20
9
Anwar; 1 8
Noam: 20
Ivan: 18
Zwi; 20
m
Stephan: 18
Zwi: 20
1
Gielfand -
Hirschler -
Claudia Ruth; 22
Margot: 19
Gil-
Sigmund; 19
1
Carolina Mercedes; 23
Stefan: 19
1
Santiago Joaquin: 23
Hobach -
Sebastian: 23
Telly; 7, 16
m
Gluck -
Hoffman -
1
Babette: 5, 17
Herbert: 24
m
' Goetter -
Hofman -
Babette; 5, 15
Alexander: 19
■
' Fanny: 11, 19
Herbert: 19
1
Goldschmidt -
Oskar: 19
Hilda: 22
Idit-
Gonzala -
Unnamed; 20
1
Iris Weil; 24
Irma -
■
l Theodor Heymann; 24
Unnamed: 25
t .
Gottschalk -
Isack -
■
, Hilde: 21
Anna: 19
1
, Griffin -
Flora; 19
L
Blake Patrick: 1 7
Ida: 19
Krista Michelle; 17
Julius: 19
1
Yehuda Lavi: 17
Salomon: 11,19
1
Gross -
Salomon: 19
fc-
Jennifer: 20
Jacob -
m
1 Grumbacher -
Carmen Maria (aka: Cookie): 24
1
Ester Emelie: 8, 19
Jacobi -
■
' Guiter -
Andres Miguel; 21
k ■-
Irene S.: 23
Enrique (Heinz) Jakob; 21
i
Gutgen -
Marina Moyses: 2 1
1
Unnamed: 25
Pedro Roberto; 2 1
Haas -
Rebekah: 21
Zerline Anderson: 7.15
Tomas: 21
1
Haedo -
Jacobowitz -
1
Gabriela Samberg: 24
Lucille: 24
1
30
w
W.«
Janowitz -
Janet Lee: 19
Jerolynn -
Unnamed: 16
Johanna -
Unnamed: 11,19
Jones -
Charlie Roger: 17
Emily Jean Hobbs: 17
Neal Thomas Hobbs: 17
Jr. -
Joseph Victor Freitag: 25
Kahn-
Berta: 27
Greta: 27
Helen: 18
Isaak: 8, 19
Jsaak: 13, 24
Max: 27
Nathalia Kahn: 27
Simon: 27
Sophie: 27
Sophie: 27
Kasten -
Tess: 16
Kastriner -
David: 17
Jerrod: 17
Maxine: 17
Shea: 17
Katz -
Ami: 20
Amir: 20
Anat: 20
Asaf: 20
Eli: 20
Gabi: 20
Hagai: 20
Hella: 20
Jaara: 20
Joan: 20
Kaete: 20
Levi: 20
Martin: 20
Naama: 20
Nirit: 20
Shiri: 20
Zachi: 20
Kern -
Klara: 5, 15
Kind-
Sara: 22
Kirchheimer -
JanetteJenny: 12,21
Klatschko -
Mark: 23, 26
Kling -
Flora Selma: 22
Julio: 22
Pedro Cesar: 22
Knopfelmacher -
Margarita: 23, 26
Krummer -
Adolf (aka: Fish): 24
Adolf Wilhelm: 24
Carolina: 24
Luz: 24
Martin: 24
Miguel: 24
Veronica: 24
Kuniansky -
Eve Freitag: 25
Joanne Sonia: 25
Marc Louis: 25
Raymond Louis: 25
Raymond Louis ,Jr: 25
Lamb -
Simone: 22
Lapping -
Julie Ann: 15
Lasky -
Bonnie: 20
Lea -
Unnamed: 22
Lehmann -
Abraham: 14,25
Flora: 25
Fritz: 25
Josef Sepple: 25
Raul: 25
Silvia: 25
Letzter -
Natan: 20
Ora: 20
Ruty: 20
Leuthar -
Mina: 27
Levay -
Judy: 19
Levet -
Crais Lewitt: 1 7
Keith Lewitt: 17
Richy Lewitt: 1 7
Levi -
Ludwig: 25
Med.: 19
Regina: 26
Wilhelm: 18
Levy -
Liselotte Rosette: 16
Liebmann -
Sara: 27
Linden -
Frank: 21
Lobsenz -
Michael: 25
Normal: 25
Luobanowl -
EllisaAnn: 15
Maas -
Mathilda: 7, 15
Maeira -
Adriana: 22
Maier -
Ilse: 15
31
Julius: 15
Manfred; 15
Malcum -
Josimar: 22
Mayer -
Eleonor; 19
Maximilian; 23, 26
Mazer -
Ariel Roberto; 23
David Julius: 23
Mia Stephanie: 23
Noah Dylan: 23
Simon: 23
Mazzone -
Lisa: 21
Mark D.: 21
Steven R. Mazzone: 21
Theodor; 21
McGregor -
Dane Scott: 1 8
Elinor Ruth Rubin-: 18
Jordan Lea Rubin: 1 8
McPhail -
David Pendelton: 19
Meerapfel -
Liesel: 25
Melzer -
Shelly; 21
Mendelson -
Edith: 15
Menges -
Mathilde: 6, 18
Metzger -
Claire: 25
Herbert: 25
Katherine; 25
Simon; 25
Sydney; 25
Sydney, Jr.; 25
Meyer -
Daniel Claudio; 21
Egbert; 20
Lotti: 25
Madelaine Gaby: 21
Melanie: 21
Miller -
Jonathan: 18
Miquette -
Unnamed: 1 8
Moore -
Isabel: 25
Mosbacher -
Ari Joshua: 20
Bruce: 20
Debbie: 20
Elan Katz: 20
Gerson: 19
Gerson: 19
Henry Gabriel : 1 9
Jacob Katz; 20
Lester: 20
Mark: 20
Miriam Katz; 20
Robbie Joel: 20
Moyses -
Rosa; 21
Murphy -
Hannah: 16
Joseph: 1 5
Leah Elizabeth: 16
Sara: 1 6
Neuberger -
Eran; 21
Jehonatan Seev; 2 1
Lore: 21
Manfrede; 23, 26
Michal: 21
Niv: 21
Noa-Adi; 21
Otto: 21
Roberto: 23, 26
Ruth: 21
Walter Gabriel: 21
Norton -
Elizabeth: 16
Ocampo -
Carmen Maria: 24
Maria Matilde; 24
Offsiowitz -
Margareta: 1 6
ONeill -
Benjamin James: 16
Jonathan Shea: 16
Michael James; 16
Page -
Unnamed: 16
Paldi -
A.: 20
Anat: 20
Boas Letzer: 20
Paredes -
Mariana; 25
Pass -
Sharyn: 1 5
Patow -
Elyssa: 20
Paulsen -
Ron: 25
Peck -
Adam: 15
Camilla: 15
Jodi: 15
Pirah -
Unnamed: 20
Pollock -
Fred: 23
Pulenta -
Augusto; 24
Rachel -
Unnamed: 20
Razin -
Dalit; 22
Rehfeld -
David; 19
Reiss -
32
Josefat (Jochilet): 5, 15
Ruth: 21
Renks -
Mina: 16
Rivlin -
Adi: 21
Amir: 21
Roy: 21
Yair: 21
Rose -
Eric: 17
Max: 17
Rosenbaum -
Mina: 21
Mizi: 22
Rosenfeld -
Bertha: 20
Carlos: 23, 26
Enriquie: 23, 26
Karl: 23,26
Silva: 23, 26
Rubin -
Beth Rubin: 18
Victoria: 18
Warren: 18
Rush -
Belle: 17
Salemme -
Alejandro: 24
Bauttista H: 24
Diego: 24
Ignacio: 24
Javier: 24
Julieta: 24
Lucas: 24
Lucia Ana: 24
Marcelo: 24
Marcos: 24
Marina: 24
Matias: 24
Victoria: 24
Salomon -
Gluck: 26
Samuel: 6, 18
Samuel -
Flora: 19
Samuel I: 9, 19
Santiago -
M.H: 25
Sauber -
Abigail Winick: 16
Elizaberth Winick: 16
James: 16
Margaret Winick: 16
Schaffer -
Alexandra Brooke: 16
Allison Leah: 16
Andrew Louis: 1 6
Louis Hutzler , MD: 16
Michael Weil: 16
Natalie: 16
Rachael Lauren: 16
Schiffman -
Charlie: 16
Nili Allyn: 16
Schlesinger -
Debra Ruth: 16
Morris B.: 26
Schloss -
Alam.ah: 17
Aim: 17
Benjamin: 10, 17
Benjamin Carl: 17
Bemdt: 1 7
Berthold: 17
Brad: 17
Caroline Maxine: 17
Eric Neil: 17
Hannah: 17
Helen Rebecca: 17
Henry: 17
Jason: 17
Laura Serena: 17
Lauren Denise: 17
Linda: 1 7
Max: 17
Michael Stephen: 17
Schwab -
Hans: 23, 26
Schwartz -
Rifka: 20
Schwarzchild -
Elizabeth: 25
Sekulow -
Erwin M.: 16
Shevelew -
David Eli Miller: 19
Hyman Raphael: 18
Judith Esther: 18
Ruth Ann: 18
Sichel -
Edith: 19
Karl: 19
Leon: 1 9
Sigal -
Unnamed: 20
Slaughter -
Bryan Leo: 1 7
Jeremy Davis: 1 7
Leslie B: 17
Sondheimer -
Betty: 10, 17
Speroni -
Maximo Pablo: 24
Maximo Tobias: 24
Sofia Magdalena: 24
Spielmann -
Renata: 22
Spiess -
Else: 21
Frieda: 20
Gebriel: 11,19
Hanna Dorothea: 20
Ida: 21
Jenny: 20
Lina Elena: 19
33
1
Margot Regina: 21
Andres: 25
_ Moses Max Weil: 20
Andres Diego: 24
H Sophie: 21
Anita: 24
• Steiner -
Anna Rose: 21
Sandy: 23
Anschel: 27
■ Stern -
Antonella Clara: 22
1 Julius: 23, 26
Ariel Maurico: 22
Liesbeth: 23, 26
Armando Francisco: 22
Strauss -
Arron: 16
■ Ida: 8, 19
Auguste: 6, 19
1 Dsa: 16
Babette: 25
Tamir -
Babette: 11,19
^ Amit: 20
Bella: 26
1 Ido: 20
Benjamin Joseph: 2 1
B Reuven: 20
Bernhard: 27
Ronen: 20
Berta: 5, 18
Berta: 23, 26
M Tbalheimer -
Bertha: 12, 23, 26
1 Jacob: 1 7
Bianka: 18
* Jay: 17
Bulla: 27
John: 1 7
Carlos Abraham: 22
■ Lizzie: 1 7
Carolina: 26
1 Vickie: 17
Dalila: 22
Tova -
Dana: 21
_ Unnamed: 20
Daniel: 21
■ Trein -
Daniela: 22
B Carlos AJberto: 22
David: 27
Claudia: 22
David: 15
A Daniel: 22
Elise: 6, 18
■ Juliana Lamb: 22
Elise: 13,24
™ Paula: 22
Elka: 25
Paulo Ernesto: 22
Elke: 11,25,26
S Rafael Lamb: 22
Ella: 17
B Troutman -
Ellen Cramer: 15
Petronia: 17
Elsa: 26
_ Valerie -
Emelia: 10, 17
H Unnamed: 24
Emilie: 27
• Van de Veen -
Emilie: 11,19
Marian: 21
Emilie: 19
■ Van Gelderen -
Emma: 9, 19
■ Maria Isabael: 22
Eugene: 1 9
Vincente -
Fanny: 27
Silvana: 24
Federico: 25
fl Wallach -
Feis: 26
B Ines: 23,26
Felix: 24
Ferdinand: 12, 23
■■ Warren -
Ferdinand: 10, 17
a Jocelyn Terese: 1 8
Flora: 22
B Wegmann -
Flora: 17
, Mariaime: 23
Flora Julia: 23, 26
Michael: 23
Frank E.G.: 24
fl Wolfgang: 23
Frieda: 14, 25
B Weil -
Frieda: 27
Aaron: 6, 18
Friedrich: 23, 26
_ Aaron Jonas Broomall: 16
Gabriel: 22
B Adam Daniel: 15
Gabriela Carmen: 22
B Adolf: 12,21
Gabriele: 18
Albert: 10, 17
Gary: 16
m Alex Jordan: 1 5
Gary Ronald: 1 6
B Alfred: 18
Geronimo: 25
• Alfred: 19
Gertrud: 19
Alfredo Leopolde: 21
Gertrude Trudl: 18
B Alice: 23, 26
Getta: 23, 26
B Amit: 22
Gilla: 27
" Amy Pamela: 19
1
34
m
Gisela Naomi: 18
Leopold: 11,19
Guilad: 22
Leopold: 6, 18
Gustav: 11,19
Leopold: 26
Gustav: 6, 18
Leopold: 5, 18
Gustav: 7, 16
Leopold: 5, 15
Hanna: 27
Leopold: 8, 19
Hanna: 27
Leopold: 16
Hanna: 26
Leslie: 15
Hanna: 14, 25
Liebman: 27
Hannchen: 6, 18
Lilian Adolfina: 23
Heinrich: 27
Lilly: 25
Helen Thea: 1 7
Lilly: 23, 26
Herman: 13,24
Lina: 26
Hilda: 19
Lina: 8, 19
lan: 22
Linda: 16
Ida: 5, 18
I^otti: 23
Ida: 9, 19
Low: 27
Ida: 10, 17
Luise: 8, 19
Ida: 27
Maia: 22
Ilse: 16
Maria Valeria: 24
Irma: 15
Marianne: 16
Isaak: 27
Marilyn: 17
Isaak Moses: 27
Marsha Babette: 16
Isak: 8, 19
Martina: 25
Isidor: 22
Martina: 22
Israel: 27
Max: 27
Issi (Joseph): 16
Max: 23
Ivonne Beatrice: 22
Max: 16
Jenifer: 17
Max: 19
Jennie: 8, 19
Miguel Enrique: 22
Jennifer Robin: 19
Moises: 25
Jenny: 26
Monica Fernanda: 25
Jerry: 16
Moritz: 26
Jette: 13, 23
Moses: 27
Johanna: 27
Moses: 5, 18
Johanna: 18
Nathan: 26
Johanna: 23, 26
Nathan: 27
Josef: 27
Nicolas: 16
Josef ( Seppel): 2 1
Nicolas Alfredo: 22
Josef (Jessel): 11, 19
Nir Alfredo: 22
Josef Siegmund: 23, 26
Or: 21
Joseph: 7, 15
Oren: 22
Joseph: 15
Pablo: 25
Juan Pedro: 25
Paula: 23, 26
Julieta: 25
Pauline: 8, 19
Julius: 8, 19
Peter: 24
Julius: 26
Peter Michael: 15
Julius: 18
Rafael Gustavo: 22
Julius Josef: 25
Rebecca Jo Broomal 1 : 16
Kaley Elizabeth: 1 5
Rebecca Lilly: 21
Karl: 15
Regina: 18
Karl: 15
Richard: 14,25
Karl: 15
Ricky Amato: 17
Karol ine: 26
Ron: 22
Kelly: 15
Ronald David: 16
Kirk; 15
Rosalie: 9, 19
Klara: 5, 18
Rose Haas: 1 5
Kurt: 22
Ruben Adolf: 21
Laila: 22
Rudolf: 19
Lavey: 16
Ruth Babette: 1 5
Lazarus: 5, 17
Ruth Fanny: 23
Leo: 16
Samuel: 5, 15
Leonor: 23
Samuel: 11,25
Leopold: 27
Samuel: 12,23,26
35
Samuel: 7, 15
Zaid -
Samuel: 6, 19
Claudia: 22
Samuel: 13,24
Zuntz -
Samuel: 8, 19
Unnamed: 2
Sara Sophie: 27
Zur -
Sarah Vanessa: 15
Asaf; 20
Seligmann: 27
Chagai: 20
Seligmann Nathan: 27
Dorit: 20
Selma: 26
Ido: 20
Sheila: 22
Jorai: 20
Shir: 21
Oded: 20
Siegfried: 1 8
Siegfried: 23, 26
Siegfried: 17
Sigmund: 26
Silvia: 24
Sofia Ines: 24
Sonia Beatriz: 23, 26
Sophie: 27
Sophie: 27
Stefan: 17
Stefan: 16
Steven: 19
Susanne America: 22
Susarme Karola: 15
Tal: 21
Terry: 17
Thomas Roberto: 24
Tornas: 22
Tsvi: 16
Veis: 9, 19
Veis Moses: 11,25,26
Zachary Paul Broomall: 16
Weiler -
Elsie: 16
Weinberg -
Bruno: 21
Guenter: 21
Rosel: 21
Weismann -
Alice: 13, 24
Rosa: 13, 24
Wertheimer -
Andres Ricardo: 23, 26
Claudio Daniel: 23, 26
Horst Werner: 23, 26
Lisa: 19
Sara: 26
White -
Melissa: 15
Wimpfheimer -
Mina: 27
Winick -
Alan Jay: 1 5
Heidi: 16
Leslie: 16
NaomieJ.: 15
Wolf-
Margot: 21
Zaela -
Unnamed: 20
ZaelaTamir -
Unnamed: 20
36
Robert Balkin
One of my Best Days
Bob Balkin is the second son of Susanne Weil and Howard Balkin.
When I was little, German was spoken all the time in our house. My mother’s conversations would
commonly switch back and forth from English to German and from German to English, whether she was
with visiting cousins or aunts or on the phone with her mother.
1 should be clearer here: German was not really spoken in the house. It was shouted. Perhaps this was
because all the relatives from Germany were hard of hearing. Or maybe they were always mad at each other.
As far as 1 was concerned, if the conversation switched to German, I’d scram from the kitchen before 1 got
yelled at, too.
The odd thing was, that although there was so much German that was spoken, there was hardly ever a
conversation about Germany.
When 1 reached the 7th grade, it was time for me to begin studying a foreign language. 1 chose German,
which seemed to make a lot of sense for me at the time. And besides, it made my mom and her side of the
family happy, especially when I would come with a new song about a Schnitzelbank (free checking?) or a
Tannenhaum (Jewish guy?).
By the time 1 made it to high school, we were living in Arkansas and the songs from German class evolved
toward more adult themes, like beer and bratwurst. In 11'*' grade, my German class went on a field trip to
Hot Springs for that town’s annual Oktoberfest celebration. There we were, 16- and 17-year olds, drinking at
long beerhall tables and singing our new songs to an oompah-oompah tuba band. We even joined the strange
guys who wore Liederhosen on stage and danced something our teacher said was the Schuplattler. This was
fun.
That night, I arrived home ready to regale my family with Oktoberfest stories. 1 wondered if the Weils had
celebrated Oktoberfest in Germany. Elsie Weil, one of my favorite relatives, was visiting us from Chicago.
Aunt Elsie, bom in Stuttgart, would undoubtedly like my stories. And as the famous wedding dancer of the
family, I figured that she might even go a few rounds of Schuplattler with me.
Boy, was I wrong. In perhaps the only time I ever saw Aunt Elsie angry, she exploded at me: “I don’t want
to hear anything about your Oktoberfest nor about German music and dances!” Startled, I excused myself
While walking up the stairs to my bedroom, I finally started to understand why the Weils would speak the
German language but speak nothing about Germany.
As the years went by, I developed into a bit of a travel buff. But Germany never developed into a “must-see”
destination. In August 1992, 1 was asked at the last minute to join a delegation of “Young American
Professionals” for a 10-day tour of Germany. The trip was paid for and organized by the Friedrich Naumann
Stiftung, a foundation affiliated with the Free Democratic Party of Germany (the “Liberals”). The purpose
of the trip was to witness firsthand Germany’s struggle with historic reunification. We visited Berlin, Bonn
and Mainz. (Mainz is the Dayton, Ohio of Germany. It is a nothing burg that happened to be hosting the
quadrennial convention of the Liberal International. The Stiftung thought this would interest us, but it did
not. The Young Liberals also gathered in Mainz; now that was interesting.)
It is difficult for a Jew to be in Germany and not think of the Holocaust. At times, it is impossible. On our
first day in Berlin, a pipe bomb exploded at a memorial sculpture that stood on a bridge above the Berlin
train station. It was a memorial to the Jews who were sent to concentration camps from that station. The
following day, I visited the site. The bomb had caused some damage to the sculpture, but remarkably the
1
entire memorial was bathed in flowers and cards from well-wishers. One card, which began “Dear Jewish
Neighbors,” stated that all Berliners were outraged by the bomb and that they stand with their Jewish friends.
From that point on, I had Steinsfurt on my mind. In every city, 1 asked people if they knew where it was or
how to get there, but 1 only drew blank stares. It was the final day in Mainz and the group was set to head to
Frankfurt for the flight home. A hotel concierge with a decent map and lots of patience helped me locate
Steinsfurt. After a few phone calls, we even figured out which trains to take.
I split off from the group, knowing that due to work commitments in DC, I had only one day to give to this
search. Since I had never heard the Weils discuss anything about Steinsflirt, I had little idea what I would
accomplish by going. But I was curious. Prior to leaving for Germany, I told my mom I might stay an extra
day in order to visit her hometown. She offered me no advice, as she knew of no Weil who yet had made the
journey.
When the conductor announced the Steinsfurt stop, I was the only person who left the train. The first
sensation was the smell. Steinsfurt is still a farming village, and the smell of cow manure defined the
moment. Subtly covering my nose, 1 headed down to the town and entered a tavern for a beer and a brat as I
waited for the Rathaus, the town hall, to reopen after lunch.
At the Rathaus, I strained to put my old German lessons to work. I told a woman clerk that I was from the
United States and that my mother was bom in Steinsfurt. She asked me my mother’s name and I told her,
“Susanne Weil.”
“Jüdische Weil?” the woman inquired bluntly. “Ja, ja,” I replied somewhat taken aback, “Jewish Weil.” At
that moment, the woman grabbed my arm, barked, “komm, komm!” and pulled me into an office where she
opened a closet. She produced a copy of a paperback book by a man named Hans Appenzeller. I could
understand the book’s introduction: It said if one wanted to learn about the Jewish community of Steinsfurt,
one need only study the Weil Family.
What was going on here? I thought I’d maybe take a photo of the town and head back home, but now 1 had
been confronted with an entire book about the Weils. As the clerk flipped through the book’s series of
family trees, I stopped her on the page where my mother’s name, Susanne Karola Weil, appeared right there
in black and white. Also inside the book were photographs and copies of documents. In a haunting prelude
to the tragedies to follow, many documents show Weils with the names of “Israel” and “Sara” officially
added to identify them as Jews. One document from 1939 pertains to my grandparents' efforts to emigrate,
with their names listed as “Josef Israel Weil” and “Alice Sara Weil, nee Frank.”
I asked if the book was for sale and the clerk sold me several copies. She pointed to Appenzeller’s name on
the cover, asked me a question I did not understand, placed a phone call, grabbed my arm and, with another
severe “komm, komm,” she dragged me out the Rathaus door and across Stein flirt's tiny town square and
down another street.
At the door of a private home, an elderly woman answered. 'The clerk told the woman that I was the son of
Susanne Weil and abruptly walked off, without even offering an auf Wiedersehen. The woman in the
doorway looked at me and said in German, “I remember kleine Susanne,” and pointing her finger across the
street, she added, “she lived right there in that house. Weils lived here in this house, too.” I was speechless,
pondering jackbooted SS troopers, who on these quiet streets had sent the Jewish men of Steinsfurt to
Dachau.
She invited me into the living room and poured me a glass of water. As 1 was about to sit down, Hans
Appenzeller slowly came down the stairs carrying three large notebooks, overflowing with papers. As we
shook hands, he explained to me that he was now retired, and although he was not from Steinsfurt like his
wife, he had dedicated himself over the years to research the story of the Weils of Steinsfurt. First, he
wanted some family tree updates and I gave him as much as I could about the Weils that I knew - births,
deaths and changes of cities. 1 asked where he got the information for his book and he said that most of it
2
came from the Weils of Argentina and Brazil, but that he had had contact with my grandmother among others
from the States. He even produced a letter that she had sent him.
It was by now late afternoon when Appenzeller asked if 1 wanted to go to the cemetery. 1 started for the front
door but he led me to the garage. The Jewish cemetery was not actually in Steinsfurt, but outside of town in
Waibstadt, too far for walking. As we drove through tiny Steinsfurt, we passed a small, one room
synagogue, incredibly still standing.
Now we headed out of town, onto a highway, and then off the highway and onto a dirt road and into the
woods. We parked the car. The sun was barely breaking through the trees as Appenzeller guided me
towards the cemetery gate. Outside the gate, we passed a giant marble mausoleum with the name Weil that
seemed quite out of place.
Perhaps because of its somewhat hidden location in the woods, the cemetery was not ransacked during the
Nazi years. 1 was surprised by its good condition; some Weils - from somewhere — had obviously visited.
We entered the gate and, without thinking, I knew exactly what I was looking for; the graves of my great-
grandparents. Appenzeller thought he knew where they were, but he instead found many, many other Weils.
The sun was about gone. In a few minutes, we would not be able to see a thing. I left Appenzeller in the
section with the shinier tombstones and trotted to a less well-kept area. For some reason, and I don’t know
why, I headed toward a medium-sized obelisk-shaped stone, covered with moss. I grabbed some leaves from
the ground and scrubbed and scrubbed its face. Underneath the dirt and moss appeared the names of my
great-grandparents, Leopold Weil and Klara Weil.
The sun had now set. I was in the woods, in the dark, far from home, with an amateur historian - a gentile,
from another town, no less - who had spent more time thinking about the Weils of Steinsfurt than 1 ever had.
This day had not started with any of this in mind — not with me standing at the grave of my ancestors,
carrying an entire book about my family, after having met a hausfrau who could remember my mother, “die
kleine Susanne. ”
Appenzeller took me back to the train station, where we bid our farewells, and I pledged to send more Weil
information to him. As I boarded the train that would take me to Heidelberg for the night, I recapped my day
of discovery.
A last-minute invitation to travel, a bomb in Berlin and pure curiosity led me to Steinsfurt that day.
Indirectly, however, I was led there by my mother, and by her parents and grandparents - and by the same
“aunts” and “uncles” who did not discuss Germany nor the profound tragedies that they experienced there. It
was there in Steinsfurt that a new connection to all of them was established and it was there in Steinsfurt that
I felt the most profound aching that the Holocaust had ever dealt me - me, the living legacy of the survivors
and of the perished. In the end, my family had led me there, and there I discovered a little bit more about
them - and about me.
In the years that followed. Appenzeller 's book would circulate among the family, and more Weil cousins
from the States would make the trek to Steinsfurt. What I told myself that night in Heidelberg I still say to
others whenever I retell this story; “It was one of my best days, one of my very best days.”
3
Susanne Weil Balkin
Susanne is the granddaughter of Leopold and Klara (Kern) Weil and the great-granddaughter of Karl
(Solomon) Weil and Babette Goetter
I was born in Karlsrulie, Germany to Alice Frank from Kehl bei Strassburg in Alsace Lorraine and Joseph
Weil from Steinsfrirt. I was premature and very little — and still am. My dad was a cattle rancher with his
cousin, Carl Weil. The business had been their fathers' and when they died, the oldest sons had to take over.
I was always told my dad had wanted to be a lawyer and he was the only one who finished high school. My
dad had red hair and blue eyes and freckles. He was called the Roda Seppl. He looked a lot different from
his brother, sister and cousins. Most of them had dark hair and brown eyes.
My only memory of Germany is Kristallnacht, I was with my grandparents, Solomon and Babette Frank, in
Bodesweier. 1 remember my Opa had a carriage and horses. We were seeing ray Opa off when SS men
came and pulled him away. Across the street, there was a line of men. They were my cousins and their sons.
The SS men came into the house. They went downstairs into the basement where there was a butter chum
and all the glass jars of homemade jams and fruit and vegetables. 'They broke everything. I was so scared I
hid under the kitchen table, which was skirted. As I peeked out, 1 saw the black shiny boots of the SS
troopers. 1 was so hysterical that my Oma had to take me to meet my Mom in Karlsruhe by train. They had
taken all the Jewish men of Steinsfurt to Dachau. My grandmother, Klara Weil, suffered a stroke and she
died while the men were in Dachau. When she was buried, there was not a single Jewish man at her funeral.
The first man to be released was great Uncle Gustav.
Shortly after the men came back from Dachau, the SS was set to arrest my dad again. My mom paid a bribe
for exit visas and we fled to London as we had a high visa number that would never have been called m time.
Many of the relatives had already gone to the States. My Frank grandparents could have left, but my mom
was an only child and they wouldn't leave with her still in Germany. They were later sent to Gurs and my
Oma Babette was sent to Auschwitz where she was killed. We found my Opa Frank, after the war. He came
to live with us in Iowa in 1946 or 1947. He died in Chicago in the mid-1970s at the age of 102.
We arrived in London, where we were considered enemy aliens. Therefore, my dad could not get work. My
mom had a second cousin in London. His name, believe it or not, was Jack Kennedy. Jack's mother was a
Hirsch from Worms, Germany, yet he was English and owned a "ooming house. For free room and board,
ray mom did the cooking while my dad went to school to learn English. Nine months later, when we finally
got to America, he was fluent and could read, write, and speak English. While we were in London the war
broke out and we were issued gas masks. That Hanukkah of 1940, 1 got a white alligator gas mask purse — it
was like a shoulder bag. (I remember that Hanukah because my Dad dressed like a Hanukkah man in a red
suit and white beard just like Santa Claus. Remember, we were German Jews and 1 guess very assimilated.
I often think back to seeing and reading Herman Wouk’s Winds of War. Our family did not think what
happened actually would.)
We fmally went to New York in the spring of 1940. We crossed the ocean on a Cunard White Star Line ship.
The Georgic, which was a passenger ship painted gray since it was wartime. We stayed with Mom’s
relatives. Ilka and Hilda Hess, while we waited Carl Weil and family to arrive. In Steinsfurt, although we
lived in two separate homes and had different parents, we were brought up as one family. Our parents were
not just first cousins and business partners, but also best friends. My mom told me that when I reunited with
my cousins, Ruth and Marianne, we laughed and cried because we were so happy to see each other. (It is
now 62 years later, and I am still close to both of them.)
Soon several of Uncle Carl's four brothers came to New York to take us to St. Louis, Mo., where they all had
settled, as did my Dad’s brother, Karl. Samuel Weil, a great uncle who lived in Port Gibson, Mississippi,
was responsible for providing the brothers and cousins with the affidavits necessary for emigration from
Germany. To thank Samuel for letting Max, Leo, Joe, Stefan and Karl stay with him and his wife Zerline,
they brought a huge grand piano from Germany. 'This piano now resides in the home of Samuel's
4
granddaughter Karla Back in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1975, when we moved to Little Rock, 1 met Karla
and saw the beautiful piano.
I must interject a few things about the Weil Family. They had tempers and could yell loudly. Those who
know me well, realize 1 inherited that not so wonderful trait. They also argued with each other, but should an
outsider say something nasty about one of the Weils — they would live to regret it. Another thing about the
Weils is they were all named after the same relatives. Consequently there are numerous Karls, Stefans,
Josephs, etc. To add to this confusion they are first cousins and often lived in the same town. And they were
all in business together.
When we got to St. Louis, we moved into an apartment, which my Dad's younger brother Karl had rented.
Friends gave us things, as we had lost everything. My mom went to work in St. Louis in a factory that made
clothes. My dad was selling cheese out of a suitcase. The uncles were just starting Swiss American, the
cheese importing company that is still run by our Weil cousins today. One day, a cousin Jean (Silverman or
Silverberg) came to St. Louis. She used to visit us in Steinsflirt. When she saw my dad and the suitcase, she
was appalled. She knew the owners of the Dubuque Packing Co. in Iowa and arranged an intCTview. My dad
was offered a position as a cattle buyer and we were to move to Wisconsin Rapids, a town smaller than
Dubuque. 'The story goes that when the bosses saw my beautiful mom, they insisted we live in Dubuque.
This was February of 1942.
Two months after we moved from St. Louis, my dad was able to get his cousin and former partner Carl hired
by Dubuque Packing. He lived with us until his family came in June. Everybody thought they were
brothers. There were 50 Jewish families in Dubuque and the surrounding area. We were the token German
Jews and there was a bit of ill feeling amongst those bom in Eastern Europe. We really tried to become
Americanized. My mom said because 1 only spoke to her in English she learned to speak and read and write.
She maintained that had we stayed in St. Louis, it would have her taken much longer. In St. Louis, there
were so many Germans.
My dad was very gregarious; everyone knew Joe Weil. I am sure that I take after him. He never wanted to
be alone and he liked to go out all the time. My mother didn’t want to go all the time. There wasn’t a movie
he didn’t see. Aunt Sophie, Carl's wife, also liked movies and she'd often accompanied him. My dad started
having health problems. Some may have been attributed to Dachau. He had his first heart attack in 1945.
He developed asthma and went to a sanitarium in Milwaukee for several months. He was getting better and
we went back to Dubuque. 1 still remember Uncle Carl came over Sunday, September 4, 1949 and I went to
his house with him to play with Ruth and Marianne. He left and 1 got a call to come home. When I got home
1 saw a fire truck in fi'ont of my house. When I ran up the stairs I saw I>. Korns shaking his head. 'That was
when I knew my dad had died. He had just turned 50 that June. I believe he was the youngest of the Weil
cousins to die. Uncle Carl's hair turned white that day.
We stayed in Dubuque until the end of the school year. Uncle Carl moved his family to Sioux City, and Ruth
lived with us so she could finish her saiior year. Mom was debating about moving to New York, St. Louis
or Chicago. It ended up being Chicago where she had family. It was a good move. I attended Hyde Park
High School. What a difference fi'om Dubuque, Iowa!
Shortly after coming to Chicago, I attended synagogue Habonim. I was told that a member of the choir, Elsie
Weil, was a relative of mine. Elsie's husband Alfred, was my dad's cousin. I was introduced to them that
Friday night, and it was an instant love affair. 'ThQ^ became another set of parents, and Elsie and I speak
weekly on the phone to this day. I started working for AIfi"ed J. Weil, Importer, after school and it became
my summer job for many years.
I attended the University of Iowa. In my sophomore year, 1 started going with a non-Jewish boy, and my
Mom made me come home. I started Roosevelt University in the city, but Alfred thought I would learn more
in business working for him than I could learn in school. He was correct but when I started knowing more
about business than the fellows I was dating, I realized that something had to change. I also knew my Dad
would have been very disappointed if I didn’t graduate from college. I went back füll time in the school of
education. I graduated as an elementary teacher. During this time, I met my future husband, Howard Balkin.
5
We met in August of 1955, got engaged July of 1956, and were married June 16, 1957, six days after 1
graduated.
In May of 1955, my Mother married a widower, Simon Meier, who had an 1 1 -year old son. It was a
wonderful marriage. My mom got another child, I gained a brother. Chuck, and Chuck gained a sister and a
Mother he adored. Elsie and Allred Weil played cupid. To this day Chuck and 1 speak at least once a week.
We keep up more than many blood relatives.
Once married, Howie and I found an apartment near Ruth and Alan Winick in Chicago. Yes, the same
cousin Ruth. Our husbands hit it off right away and we still are close. Ruth's oldest daughter, Naomi, was
my flower girl and Marianne was a hridesmaid. I was a bridesmaid at theirs weddings. Linda Weil Alsberg,
also stood up at my wedding. She is the daughter of Leo Weil and the stepdaughter of Liselotte, who is at the
reunion.
Howie and I have four sons Jeff^ Bob, Mark and Rick. Jeff was considered a “preemie,” and was kept in the
hospital for 2 weeks in an incubator. By the time son #3 came along, they realized my children were small
and Mark came home weighing 4 lbs. 12 oz. We bought a house in Skokie, 111., and moved in when Jeff was
8 weeks old. When #4 was bom, we moved into a larger home in Northbrook, 111.
In 1975, we moved to Little Rock, AR, when Howie was transferred with Teletype, a subsidiary of AT&T.
Moving to the South was a difficult adjustment, leaving family and close friends. Howie seemed happy and
the boys were occupied with school. I don’t know how it happened, but in 1976 I received a call asking me to
go on the Temple Sisterhood District Board, which covered Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Western
Tennessee. I accepted and was the treasurer of National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods District 15 for 4
years. In 1979, 1 also became President of the local Little Rock Sisterhood and was later elected District
President. It was hard work in getting accepted by the Jewish community, but I wanted my boys to have
friends among the Jewish children. We stressed Sunday School and Temple Youth Group for them. I could
go on with all our Jewish awards. A highlight was receiving the 1994 Gates of Israel Medal from the district
Israel Bond committee as their honoree. Upon Howie’s retirement, he became very involved in Temple as
head of the Adult Education and serving as Vice President.
When our youngest son, Rick, was recruited to get his PhD and was to leave Little Rock with his wife and
daughter, who were so much of our lives, we decided to also move. We had always talked about some day
moving to Sarasota, Fla. We built a beautiful home in a country club environment. Howie is an active tennis
player and I am an avid bridge player. In fact, I play a lot of duplicate and am earning some master points. I
am also committee chair of our neighborhood. I love people and it is hard for me not to be involved. We
joined a Temple and I have been asked to go on the Sisterhood Executive Board.
We are very proud of our four sons. Jeff and Randee, with their two daughters, Jordan (13) and Tori (10)
live in St. Louis. Jeff is in sales. Bob, having spent many years in Washington, DC, is presently working
with the Mexican Congress in Mexico City. He is a lawyer and journalist and has covered elections up and
down Central and South America. In Mexico, he and Chico Weil have become buddies. (It is wonderful
having family all over! It is through Marianne's interest in Weil genealogy that they met.) Son #3 Mark and
Ellen live in New Orleans. He is an attorney in the communications field. They have two sons Drew (6)
and Josh, who will be 4 in August. Mark and Ellen met at summer camp in Mississippi. Rick met his wife
while at the University of Missouri. After he got his Masters degree, and she her bachelor’s, they moved to
Little Rock to work and live. Needless to say it was a bonus and having them with us was special. We also
had the opportunity to be with Abby (now 3) when she was bom and to prepare for the festivities when she
was named at Temple. Rick and Melissa got married at the Temple with our Rabbi and one of our best
friends, a Deacon in the Catholic Church, co-officiating.
'That brings my story quite up to date. Unfortunately, my Mom had a stroke 10 years ago. She is still alive
and has her faculties, but is paralyzed and can’t do much for h< self She was such a vital and pretty woman.
It is painful for us to see her like this.
6
Richard Balkin
Son of Susanne Weil Balkin great granddaughter of Karl (Solomon) Weil and Babette Goetter
I am the youngest son of Suzaime and Howard Balkin. My mother is the daughter of Alice Meier, who was
originally Alice Weil. My mother left Germany at a young age, which makes me and my three older brothers
first generation Americans on my mother's side.
I was bom in Chicago and raised in Little Rock. I attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, where I
obtained bachelors degree in secondary education-language arts and a master’s degree in counseling
psychology. I met my wife, Melissa, while in graduate school and we married in 1994. We moved to Little
Rock before getting married where she worked as a special education teacher dealing with severely
handicapped children. 1
worked for seven years in a hospital working with adolescents and later with adults and mature adults, in a
psychiatric hospital unit. In July of 2000, we moved to Northwest Arkansas where 1 am working on my
doctorate in counselor education and supervision. 1 hope to finish in May 2003.
We have a three year-old daughter, Abigail, who certainly has Weil traits. She has started in gymnastics and
enjoys books. She is truly a joy in our life.
Martial arts have been a significant hobby in my life. My mother signed me up for Tae Kwon-Do lessons
when I was eight years old. I have earned the rank of 5th degree black belt and coached the USA Junior Tae
Kwon-Do Team in 1997 and 2000 World Championships. 1 am coaching the Junior Team for the 2002
Championships in
Toronto, Canada this July. I was also fortunate to earn a bronze medal in the 1997 Championships. Melissa is
a2nd degree black belt and was a member of the 2000 USA Women's Team.
I ain very excited about this reunion. Knowing that I come from a family of Holocaust surv'ivors has been has
placed a significant importance for my family and our Jewish identity. More importantly, being able to meet
family from different parts of the world has reconceptualized my idea of family and where my roots are.
Richard S. Balkin, LPC
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
April 2002
7
Marianne Weil Schaffer Sekulow
My Name is Marianne Weil (Schaffer) Sekulow. My parents were Carl Weil and Sophie Weil
geb.Eichtersheinier. We lived in Steinsfurt at 21 Hauptstrasse in the home built by my great- grandfather
Karl (Solomon) Weil, who was married to Babette Goetter from Grombach. My grandfather, Joseph
married Mathilde Maas from Hemsbach; they had five sons, Karl, Max, Joseph (Issie), Leo, and Stefan. My
Grandfather died at the age of 55 leaving Matilda with five sons, the oldest was my father, Karl, who was age
19 at the time of his father's death.
My father carried on the family tradition as cattle dealCT. He bought 4 to 5 steers, fed them to the appropriate
weight for sale and slaughter. He with his Uncle Gustav and his cousin Joseph (Roter Sepple) often worked
together to feed and butcher the meat for sale. They also provided kosher meats for the area. In addition to
the cattle, our family owned land on the outskirts of town where hay and potatoes were raised.
Religious tradition played a large role in our daily lives. We observed most of the Jewish holidays, shabbas,
and kept a reasonably kosher home. We did not write, knit, or sew on Shabbas. I understand that Saturday
walks toward Rorhbach and Sinsheim were frequent. My mother and Oma Matilda baked berches and fruit
kuchen and always set a lovely Shabbas table.
My father was the first brother to marry. He married the beautiful Sophie Eichtersheimer, who taught in a
local nursery school. Her father was Adolf Eichtersheimer who owned the Construction Company on
Bahnhofstrasse. Sophie's black hair, dark eyes, and olive complexion provided the perfect contrast to Karl's,
fair skin, full head of wavy brown hair, and handsome features. While Sophie was easy going never uttering
a loud word, she found herself surrounded by five brothers whose communication skills reverberated
throughout the town. The Weil men could always be heard. As disagreements abounded, the decibels
increased. (1 suspect this trait may have been shared by most of the Weils from Steinsfurt). Married in
January of 193 1, my parents wasted no time in starting a family. My sister Ruth was bom in November of
193 1 and 1 followed in June of 1933. My parents shared the home on Hauptstrasse with my Grandmother,
Mathilde.
By 1933, most Jews realized that the new government led by Adolph Hitler would change the world, as we
knew it. Almost immediately, his anti-Semitic policies were initiated; Jewish professionals and teachers felt
the persecution with loss of civil jobs; and Jewish businesses were vandalized. By 1936 small towns similar
to Steinsfurt, felt the pain. Cattle and land were confiscated and livelihoods were threatened. Each year
brought new laws and loss of freedom. By 1937 the Jewish community of Steinsfurt could no longer afford
to maintain the little synagogue, it was sold to a local citizen, who owns it today (2002).
The only Jewish families left in Steinsfurt in 1938 were families of Gustav Weil, Joseph (Roter Sepple) Weil,
Morris Eichtersheimer, and my father. My Uncles Stefan, Leo, and Issi emigrated to America to 1936.
Uncle Max was still working in Munich in a retail business in 1938. Meanwhile, my father agonized over the
decision to uproot his family and join his brothers in America. He only knew the cattle business and his
insecurities were overwhelming in attempting to come to terms with the decisions that needed to be made.
However, November 10, 1938, the decision was made for him and the rest of the Jews remaining in
Steinsfurt.
On the morning of November 10, 1938, a gang of juvenile delinquents and Hitler youth, under the leadership
of the SS, ravaged the Jewish homes and ruthlessly took away Joseph (Roter Sepple), Gustav, Siegfried,
Leopold, and my father, Karl. They were taken to Dachau concentration Camp. Uncle Max was picked-up
in Munich and taken to Dachau. My father remained in Dachau the longest, because he had not been able to
obtain a Visa/affidavits. In 1938, Jews could leave Germany with the correct papers and visa; however, it
was extremely difficult to get these documents. Max was the first to be released and joined his brothers in St.
Louis. Roter Sepple and his family left for England in 1939. Gustav and his family fled in 1940. My fatho-.
8
mother, sister, and Oma Mathilda left in February 1940. We traveled to Genoa and boarded the SS
Manhattan in spring. We arrived in the United State in April. First, we went to Syracuse N.Y. to visit my
Uncle Morris Eichtersheimer, Aunt Bea, and my two cousins, Arnold and Eric.
It was through the generosity and perseverance of Zerline and Samuel Weil , a cousin living in Port Gibson,
Mississippi that we and many other family members were able to receive affidavits to our escape from
Germany. My mother's cousin, Joseph Kern and his wife lima, also contributed to our fi-eedom, by providing
financial backing to those institutions which required assurances to our independence fi'om draining the
economic of the country. (Our first visas came from England, which required a down payment of monies to
assure financial independence) Fortunately, five visas to the USA arrived before we left for England.
The spring of 1940 found my family of five refugees from Steinsftirt sharing a three-bedroom apartment with
my four bachelor uncles. My mother became the chief cook and laundress for the four brothers, while my
father found any work available. He worked in a tape factory and as a janitor. The Uncles had managed to
find Jobs in various businesses. Uncle Leo worked at Rice Stix, and Uncle Stefan worked as a butcher, while
Max and Issie began a cheese business, the Swiss American Import Company. Uncle Max also served in
United States Army.
By the mid 1940s all of the uncles were married, except Max (who never married). In 1942, my immediate
family moved to Dubuque, Iowa where my father Joined his cousin Roter Sepple to begin working for the
Dubuque Packing Co., a new small meat packing company. My father 's dignity became restored as he began
the work he loved and knew well. He found the competition of his more sophisticated brothers a strain and
was comforted by the simpler life of a small town. He traveled to farms selecting the best cattle and soon
made friends with the farmers. His reputation as an expert in his field gave him pride in his work. Having
lost everything of material value, he struggled to regain financial security. After five years traveling to the
local farms in the area, my father began driving 364 miles across the state to Sioux City, Iowa, where a large
stockyard existed. The farmers brought their cattle to the large market, where the cattle buyers were able to
make their selections in one place. Although this consolidated the workweek, his time away from the family
was difficult, and the long drive across the state was exhausting. After several years of this weekly schedule,
in the spring of 1950, the family moved to Sioux City Iowa.
Having diligently saved his money, my father, encouraged by his new American friends, purchased his own
home. His friends made sure he brought his first home on " the right" side of town, to assure his daughters an
appropriately acceptable social life. The small two-bedroom house on Stone Park Blvd had it all; a finished
basement with a bar, a lovely garage attached to the house, and tree studded back yard. He was proud and
pleased with his own piece of land in the United States. Encouraged to get a mortgage because it was sound
business, my father followed the advice of his more sophisticated business wise friends. After two anxious
and sleepless weeks, my father did what he knew was right — he paid the $10,000.00, cash required for
owning his home, free and clear. Now the house was really his, and no one could take it away. My father
paid everything with cash. .."If you can't afford two of something, you shouldn't buy one". His favorite
expression describing spend thrifts was" Er hat nichts dahinter and nichts davortne"
Life for my father, after the terrifying experience of Kristallnacht and experiencing the irrationality of nazi
inhumanity in Dachau, he was never the same. He struggled with the demons of insecurities and self-doubt.
He focused only on establishing a safe and secure haven for his family. He had clear and well-defined
priorities, which did not include; vacations, frivolous purchases, or paid entertainment. Focused and
determined, he established a reputation as a man to be trusted, for his honesty and integrity, a very simple
man who left a legacy of pride. Justice, and devotion to family.
After completing my degree in Nursing at the University of Michigan, I married Louis Hutzler Schaffer, MD.
We were married in 1957. By 1962, we had three children, Natalie, Michael, and Andrew. Louis established
his medical practice in Baltimore, Maryland as an internist, specializing in cardiology. Louis was the
grandson of Louis Hutzler, one of the owners of Hutzlers, a large department store in Baltimore. Louis'
grandfather on the Schaffer side was Rabbi Schepshel Schaffer, a devout orthodox rabbi who was the only
American delegate to the First Zionist Congress in 1897. Tragically, in 1973, Louis Schaffer died from
i
9
pancreatic cancer at the age of 42. In 1980, 1 married Erwin Sekulow, who worked 25 years at the Johns
Hopkins University as an administrator in the Development Office.
My daughter, Natalie Schalfer O'Neill lives in Houston Texas with her husband Michael and two sons,
Benjamin (16) and Jonathan (13). True to her liberal upbringing, she is presently the Mayor of her small
town, attempting to save Texas from its conservative tendencies in the environment and politics, while her
husband Michael directs the Radiation Department in St. Joseph's Hospital. My older son, Michael Schaffer
lives in San Francisco with his wife, Liz, and daughter, Allison (9). Michael is a computer person presently
the engineer for Alibris.com, which deals in rare and hard to find books. Andrew Schaffer lives in Baltimore
with his wife, Sheila, and two daughters Rachael (9) and Alexandra (Sasha) (7). Also following in the
tradition of his mother, Andrew is one of the pioneers in establishing the concept of father as "stay at home
parent", interacting with the children, the school, and many community volunteer activities. While his wife,
Sheila works full time as Physical Therapist Administrator.
My sister Ruth Winick married Alan J. Winick. They have three daughters: Naomi, is a Pediatric Oncologist,
who is married to Joseph Murphy and they have three daughters, Heidi is married to Jim Sauber and they
have three daughters, and Leslie Winick Gasner and has three daughters. If you counted you would realize
that Ruth has three daughters and nine granddaughters.
In 1999, 1 began writing a memoir. While conducting research, to enhance my memory, I was directed to
Carlos Weil, living in Argentina. With the assistance of the Internet and information age technology, my
family connections grew. Soon I found myself having lunch in Houston, Texas with Armando Francisco
Weil, known as Chico, (what kind of name is that for a Steinsfurter?) After a delightful three-hour lunch,
my husband whispered in my ear, "Why don't you ask Chico about having a family reunion?" The rest is
history.
April 2002
10
Karl Weil
Son of Samuel Weil of Port Gibson, Mississippi
Karl Weil's response to a questionnaire from the American Jewish Archives 1989
My name is Karl Weil. I live in Port Gibson, Mississippi. My father's name was Samuel Weil and my
mother's name was Zerline Haas. My first ancestor came to the USA in 1 864, but collateral ancestors came
in 1830s. They came from Germany and the first ancestors settled in Alabama and stayed there. My family
was AshkCTiazic Jews. My father spoke both German and English although all of his immediate family was in
the USA. My father adjusted readily and became Americanized readily.
My great Uncle Sigmund Haas was a Confederate soldier in our Civil War. My cousin Louis Bemheimer
was one of our country’s first aviators in WWI and was highly decorated by the American and French
governments for acts of bravery. My Uncle Bemie Haas served in France in WWI. My cousin Ralph Haas,
as a Marine Colonel, led the second wave of the landings on the island of Iwo Jima in WWII and was killed
after establishing headquarters on the island. I served in England during WWll. A son of my grandfather
Weil's youngest sister (who immigrated to Georgia from Germany in early 1 800s) was a state senator in the
state of Georgia before the Civil War and served as immigration official for the state of Georgia. It is
thought that his daughter married the son of the Civil War governor of Georgia. My father served four terms
as alderman of the town of Port Gibson, Mississippi, and I served as alderman for three terms.
My Haas ancestors were tailors in Germany. My Weil ancestors were cattle buyers, farmers, and butchers in
Germany. My Goetter and Kahn ancestors were vintners, grew grapes in Speyer, Germany on the banks of
the Rhine, also bought, and sold grapes. In the U.S. my ancestors were merchants, bookkeepers, cotton
buyers, etc.
1 am a retired lawyer. I received my law degree from the University of Mississippi in 1932 and practiced law
in Port Gibson Mississippi from 1932 until 1978 when I was forced to retire because of partial blindness. I
served as commissioner for the state bar for eight years and served as a special judge and special chancellor
of our circuit and chancery court on several occasions.
All of our ancestors were good Jews, faithful to their creed and in temple attendance. I read the prayers on
the High Holy days since our congregation ceased holding services. I attended Sunday school when 1 was 7
to 10 years old. I was never Bar Mitzvah. There are intermarriages in our family. We adopted the reform
movement as soon as I was bom and were non-zionists. Our family only married between German Jews.
They were members of Temple Gemiluth Chassed Congregation and lay reader for the congregation for some
15 years. Member of Mississippi State Bar, Lions club. Director of Mississippi Southern Bank, Board
member of Mosswood Country Club, etc.
When asked if he had any material, he would give to the American Jewish Archives, lending, or copying, he
responded. I have an autobiography written by my great-uncle, Sigmund Haas, who immigrated from
Dürkheim, Germany to Mobile, Alabama, and who fought as a confederate soldier in our Civil War and was
president of the Mobile Reform congregation for many years. We would not entrust this to anyone else, but
someday we could make a photocopy for the Archives. I have a picture of him and of his younger brother,
my grandfather Julius Haas. We also have an artifact, the oldest possession of the Weil family — pewter
seder platter engraved with the initials of my great-great-great-grandfather "S.W." (Samuel Weil) and with
the crown of Israel. It has a date 1774. On the back is the hallmark, 3 little angles. Of course we would not
part with this or lend it but a picture could be made of it for the archives.
When 1 was a child in Port Gibson, I attended Sunday school between the ages of six and ten, taught by Mrs.
Byion levy. When 1 attended Chamberlain Hunt Academy in Port Gibson, (a Presbyterian school) since 1
was the only Jew in attendance, the President had a special class for me on the Old Testament. I was never
11
Bar mitzvah since we had no local rabbi. However, 1 read the services on the high holy days in our little
local temple for some 15 years and delivered sermons.
I grew up m a small town (Port Gibson) which had few Jews so most of my friends were Gentiles. My
family had many Gentile friends. Neither my family nor I have ever experienced any anti-Jewish prejudice.
My father's mother was Babette Goetter who married my grandfather, Karl Weil, (for whom I am named).
The Goetter family lived in Grumbach, Germany and the Weils in Steinsflirt, Baden, Germany. Both the
Weils and the Goetters have been buried in the Jewish Cemetery at Weibstadt, Germany for over 1000 years.
It is said that some centuries ago the Jews in Germany were required to adopt family names. There to fore
they were known as so and so, the son of so and so., such as Samuel be Klanemis (Samuel the son of Karl).
Two brothers went to the register office to request their family name. One of them fell in the snow and he
adopted the name Faller (the Fallen), which later became Fuller. The Fullers of Stix Bear and Fuller of St
Louis, Missouri, was descended from him. The other brother was thankful that he did not fall, so he called
himself Goetter (the Gods). My grandmother Weil was descended from this brother.
His Uncle Joseph Goetter of Montgomery, Alabama brought my father, Samuel Weil, to the U.S., when he
was 16 years old in 1882. Uncle Joseph also brought to the U.S. at the same time two other nephews, my
father double first cousins (three Goetters married three Weils) Uncle Joseph was in business in Montgomery
with the father of Governor Lehman of New York (who was bom in Montgomery). The firm was Lehman,
Durr and Company. Uncle Joseph Goetter's wife was Lenora Ezekiel Goetter, a member of the prominent
Ezekiel family of Richmond, Virginia. Her cousin. Sir Moses Ezekiel, was the famous sculpture who created
the statute of religious liberty which stands on the public square in Richmond., He was knighted by the king
of Italy for placing a smaller statue in Rome.
My father lived for 10 years in Greenville, Alabama where he worked for Aunt Lenora's brother of the firm
of Durr and Ezkiel. A daughter of Uncle Joseph Goetter's (my father's cousin Fannie Goetter, married
Sidney Bemheimer, a member of the prominent Berheimer family of Port Gibson, Claiborne County, and
Mississippi. In addition, the young couple lived in Port Gibson or several years. Fannie had never lived in a
small town, so she persuaded Sidney to move to New York City. My father then moved to Port Gibson to
take Sidney's place in the Bemheimer business. He and Jacob Bemheimer (the youngest of the Bemheimers)
then ran a thriving business. After he had been in Port Gibson for several years his double first cousins who
had been with him in Montgomery moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to join another cousin who had
married a German Jewish lady who owned land in Argentina (Herman Weil). The tree cousins in Argentina
organized a grain-exporting firm, Hermanns Weil, & Co. and began to export grain. The firm did so well
that one member wrote to my father saying sell what you have or give it away and come down here.
However, my father loved the U.S. and had no idea of going to Argentina. Gradually Herman Weil & Co.
made millions of dollars, owned three steamship lines, and had offices in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris, and
London. They owned thousands of acres of Argentina land and built the largest skyscraper in Buenos Aires.
When they dissolved the partnership years later, they divided thirty million dollars. Their descendents live in
Argentina and Brazil. One of the sons, Peter Weil, said to be the wealthiest man in Argentina, visited us in
Port Gibson with his wife Carola, on their honeymoon. I corresponded with some of the Argentina Weils
into World War II took me to England and we have not been in touch since. Herman Weil died and is buried
in the cemetery in Weibstadt Germany. He wished to be buried in a mausoleum but had to construct it
outside the cemetery. He gave a public school to the town of Steinsfurt, which was named the Herman Weil
School in his honor, and one of the main streets in Steinsfurt was named Herman Weil Strasse in his honor.
When Hitler came to power in Germany the school as renamed the Adolph Hitler school and the Street
Adolph Hitler Strasse.
My grandmother Haas was, before her marriage to my grandfather, Julius Haas, Rosalie Cramer. She was
bom in Speyer, one of the oldest cities in Germany. Because Cramer is spelled with a "C" instead of the
German "K": and because her Father was named Phillip Moses Cramer and her brother was named Alphonse,
it is believed that her ancestors came from Spain at the time of the Inquisition (1492). Her mother was Elise
Kahn Cramer. Both the Cramers and Kahns were Vintners and farmed grapes on the banks of the Rhine.
The Kahns lived in Speyer for many gerierations and it believed that they were there when the Huns came
into what is now Germany from the north. When Napoleon conquered this part of Germany where Speyer is
located, he offered Great-great-grandfather Kahn a Barony, which he refused, because he was a loyal
German but ever after, he was called "the Baron Kahn".
When my grandmother Rosalie Cramer Haas lived in Gainesville, Alabama, she took her three youngest
children back to Speyer to visit parents. After reaching Europe, they took a boat up the Rhine to Speyer.
12
My mother and the other children lay down in the cabin of the boat and went to sleep. My grandmother
wentout on the deck to view the scenery. At some landing, a group of pilgrims boarded the boat on their way
to visit some holy shrine. They prayed, sang, and woke the children up. My mother woke up and believed
they had died and gone to heaven. My grandmother had a beautiful contralto voice, which was remembered
by many of the residents of Speyer, and on her visit, she was invited to sing in the synagogue. Crowds came
to hear her. Since at that time women did not sing in Jewish temples, it is believed that Reform Judaism had
its origin in Speyer Germany. The Jews of Speyer were very liberal. My grandmother had a catholic nurse
who saw that my grandmother as a child had Easter eggs at Easter and a Christmas tree at Christmas time.
A notable member of the Haas family is the daughter of my great aunt Elise Haas Greenwald, Amelia
Greenwald, a trained nurse whose picture and biography entitled the "Jewish Florence Nightingale" was
published by the archives of the Hebrew Union college. Aside from her accomplishments listed as taking
place in Poland and Palestine, she served in the Red Cross during WWl, was in charge of a base hospital at
the front and brought the war wives back from Europe.
Hearsay has it that my grandfather's youngest sister, a Weil married a Weil and emigrated to Georgia from
Germany in the 1 840s. One of her sons was the state senator from Chickasaw County Georgia and was the
immigration officer for the state of Georgia. I have been told that his daughter married the son of the Civil
War governor of Georgia and had many prominent descendents.
When Hitler came into power in Germany, at my mother's urging, my fathei' brought one sister and all of
his nieces and nephews to the U.S. Several of them lived with us for several months in Port Gibson where
they learned the English language. They settled in California, Iowa, Virginia, and some of them in St. Louis,
Missouri where they started the successful business of Swiss American Importing Company. All of them are
now dead, but their children have all done well in business and none of them were ever a burden on my
father.
1, Karl Weil, was bom in the town of Port Gibson, Claiborne County, Mississippi, on April 18, 1909. MY
father was Samuel Weil m native of Steinsfurt, Baden, Germany, who moved to port Gibson from
Greenville, Alabama in 1889. My mother, Zerline Anderson Haas Weil, was a native of Gainsville, Sumpter
County Alabama, who moved to Port Gibson in 1905 to become a secretary to Jacob Bemheimer of the firm
S. Bemheimer & sons. My father and mother worked for the same firm in which my father as general
manager. The firm was one of the successful and prominent firms in Mississippi. My father and mother
married in Bessemer, Alabama on December 29, 1907 and moved into a cottage, which my father bought on
Church Street in Port Gibson when 1 was bom as aforesaid in 1 1909. The firm furnished farmers and the
tenants bought cotton, bought, and sold mules, dry goods, hardware, etc. After the death of Jacob
Bemheimer in 191 1, my father operated the firm for the Bemheimer heirs until 1916 when he bought the
store and house and we moved from our cottage on Church Street to the Bemheimer house next to the store
on Walnut street. The house was constructed in 1901 after the original one-story house was destroyed by
fire. (During the Civil War the Bemheimer house was used as General Grant's headquarters after the
Yankees won the battle of Port Gibson.)
When I was 6 years old, 1 entered the Port Gibson elementary school after attending kindergarten at the
home of Mrs. Elizabeth Spencer. The school was held in the Presbyterian Annex only two blocks from the
Bemheimer house where we lived. I remained in the school through the eighth grade, never making less than
an "A" on my report card in ail subjects.
When I was 14 years old, I entered Chamberlain Hunt Academy, a local high school and preparatory school
for college. Since at that time Mississippi high school went through the lOt** grade, students from Mississippi
and all over, the South (as well as from Cuba, Honduras and Mexico) came to CHA to complete the 1 1 and
12'*’ grades. The school was owned and operated by the Presbyterian Church and also a strict military school
where we marched drilled, shot army rifles and the rifle range and wore army uniforms. In fact, it was a
"little West Point". I graduated from CHA in three years as valedictorian of the Class of 1926 at the age of
17 In September 1926, 1 entered the University of Mississippi at Oxford, Mississippi. In December ofthat
year I took sick and had an operation which kept me at home for 30 days, so 1 did not return for the second
semester but stayed in Port Gibson and taught remedial class in English and in algebra at CHA. 1 was still 17
and most of my students were older than I. At the end of the school year at the university I petitioned to take
the first semester examination and earned nine credits. Since I was to enter law school and 1 could use the 26
first year law credits as electives in the school of Liberal Arts. In order to graduate in Liberal arts in 1930 I
had to take 20 hours per semester, which I did earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1930. I then earned my
law degree (L.L.B.) in 1932 and was admitted to the Mississippi State Bar
13
Wife of Leo Weil
Son of Joseph Weil and Matilda Maas and Grandson of Karl (Solomon) Weil and Babette Goetter
I was bom July 7, 1921 in a beautiful town Neuweid. My parents were Ferdinand and Rosa Levy. My father
was a decorated soldier in the German army in WWJ. He served at Verdun and on the Russian Front. My
grandfather Wilheim Levy fought for the Kaiser in the Franco-Prussian Was. My great grandfather Isaac
served in the German Army m 1841 and I have his honorable discharge papers. My parents and ancestors
were very proud German Jews. They did not know that they and most of their descendents would perish in
the Holocaust.
My Levy ancestors left Spain in 1492 during the Inquisition. They settled in England where they were fabric
dyers. 1 guess they were early schmate merchants. In 1621, they left England and settled in the German
Rhineland where the Levys lived until the Holocaust. They became potters, making tiles, and vessels. Later
they became farmers, merchants, and cattle dealers.
1 was the first child, threes years late my brother Leo was bom and three years later my beautiful little sister,
Margot. In 1933, when Hitler came to power, my parents realized there was no future for us in Germany. My
Papa was determined to take his children to America.
My father's mother, Rosetta Greenwald, died when he was bom, and he knew that his mother had two
brothers in the USA. The two men were never interested in their sister’s children. Papa never heard from
them, which made him very sad.
Jews, who were not in contact with relatives in the USA, looked for addresses to make connections. After
much searching. Papa found an old address and sent letters to McCool and Kosiusko, Mississippi. The
postmaster in McCool knew that the two Greenwald brothers had died years earlier. He understood that
these people in Germany needed help. He mailed the letters to cousins in Winnsboro, LA. Many
Greenwald families were living in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana.
Unfortunately, none of the relatives was anxious to bring us out of Germany because they did not understand
the situation. One of the cousins, Ike (Isaac) Greenwald, whose memory I will always treasure, was elderly
and not well, and his deathbed wish was to bring the three children over. Eventually, only my brother and I
came, my sister did not want to leave without her parents. After years of correspondence, most of it done by
my Aunt Amelia Greenwald, the papers came in early November 1938. At that time, I was baby sitting with
relatives in Bingen on the Rhine and got a telephone call to come home at once. I took the train home and
when I got off^ Papa was not at the station. I wondered why. I left the suitcase at the station— my luggage is
still too heavy— and walked home.
I could not believe what was going on. The streets were littered with ftimiture, clothing, and kitchenware.
The Nazis had been to the Jewish homes destroying whatever they could.
A neighbor told me that all the Jews had been taken to jail. Having no place to go, I went to meet my family.
I heard that my father was badly beaten that morning. I joined my mother and sister and other women in a big
cell. The men were separated. My mother begged one of the jailers to please tell my father that I had arrived
safely. We spent twenty -four hours in that awfiil place. That night, we had dry bread and water and we
slept on blankets - no covers -no linens. The worst part was only one pot for about two dozen people. When
that overflowed, we tried not to eliminate.
The next morning, the women were told to go home. My brother was released to us since we had affidavits
waiting for us.
14
One cannot describe what our home looked like, but the Nazis did not get into the cellar, there were our
potatoes and apples. Since they could not destroy the iron pots, that Friday night we had potato kugel and
stewed apples, the usual Shabbos dinner.
Late that Friday night, we heard Nazis marching down the street toward the synagogue, this was in the next
block. I wanted to run ahead of them to get the prayer books, the tallises, and maybe one of the beautiful
torahs, but my mother begged me not to go. That night, while barely opening the curtains, we witnessed our
beautiful synagogue go up in flames. Believing such a thing could not possibly happen without god's
interference, I thought Ilis hands would strike these people, but nothing happened, and from then on, I
stopped saying my evening prayers.
Papa was released from jail that Monday. He was too ill to take to Dachau concaitration Camp. When he
came home, my mother took him to the Catholic Hospital where the good nuns put him in a special private so
he would not be disturbed. His internal injuries were so brutal that he died two weeks later. He was taken to
the cemetery on a pushcart during the night. The men would not permit my mother, sister, and me go.
A week later, my brother, and I went to Stuttgart to get our visas, and in January 1939, we sailed to the USA.
The departure will always be on my mind. They pulled me on the train, and I wept on the train in Hamburg
and on the boat until I got to New York. Our beautiful cousin, Carol Chartier and her handsome husband
Roy met us, he was one of the editors on Variety Magazine.
1 went to live with my father's cousin, Amelia Greenwald, in Eunice, La, the heart of Cajun country. Aunt
Amelia was a very special person and 1 was happy that she gave me a home. After she retired from Nursing,
Aunt Amelia opened women's ready- to -wear shop. Since Aunt Amelia never married and I was her family,
she legally adopted me to assure that 1 would receive her inheritance.
During the war years, merchandise for the store was rationed and Aunt Amelia decided we would go to St.
Louis to buy. St. Louis was a big center for women's ready- to -wear. Our relatives, the Weils from Port
Gibson, always talked about the Weil family in St. Louis. They had left Germany and had settled in St.
Louis. When we went to Rice Stix, a big wholesale house, we met Leo Weil, one of their salesmen, who was
recently married. We met all the Weils, Mother Matilda, and the Ove brothers, including Max, a handsome
and charming guy and the only one unmarried. He was 26 years older than I was and I thought he was an old
man. A few years later, at the funeral of Zerline Weil of Port Gibson, two of the Weil brothers came to the
funeral. TTiey told me that Leo Weil had recently divorced. They invited me to visit them in St. Louis, but 1
told them if Leo wanted to see me, he would have to come to Eunice, which he did a couple of months later.
We spent the New Year in New Orleans and before he left, I knew 1 wanted to marry him.
The big bonus of our marriage was his beautiful little girl, Linda. Linda is now 54 years old and the mother
of two grown sons. One of them recently married. Linda is married to Steve Alsberg, a very special person.
They have both been devoted and I am very thankful for the great relationship we have. Our two grandsons
and now a granddaughter have been a great joy.
Leo died in 1983. The shop in which 1 spent most of my life became a burden and I sold it in less than 24
hours. I now live in New Orleans where I have many caring friends. I am active as a volunteer worker,
enjoy going to symphony, opera, theater, and art galleries.
I am very excited about the family reunion. 1 am glad 1 am still living to enjoy this once in a lifetime
experience.
15
Leslie and Peter Weil
Our grandparents, Klara Kern and Leopold Weil, were in the cattle business. They had three children, Irma,
Joseph, and Karl (our father). Irma, her husband, Julius Maier and two children, Manfred and Ilsa, were all
killed in the concentration camps.
Our father Karl came to America in 1936, because of the rise of Adolph Hitler. He came with his cousin Leo
Weil by ship. They were able to leave Germany, because Samuel Weil of Port Gibson, Mississippi provided
them affidavits. They stayed in Port Gibson with Samuel Weil and his family until they could speak English.
They moved to St. Louis, Missouri some months later and opened a sausage making company with other
cousins that were already living in St. Louis. It was not successful and our father was able to get a job in a
factory producing women's undergarments for $13.00 a week.
Our father and two of his cousins (Joseph & Max) started a cheese business in the early 1940's importing
cheese from Switzerland, which was identified as a neutral country during World War II. In 1944, our father
Karl married Edith Mendelsohn from Frankfurt, Germany. They met in New York a year or so before. She
immigrated with her father to the USA in 1939 on one of the last ships. On May 28, 1945, Leslie John Weil
was bom in St. Louis and Peter Michael Weil was bom January 19, 1948 in St. Louis, the only two sons of
Edith & Karl Weil.
Les formed his own food business after college and in 1985 and later sold it to Universal Foods of
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He moved to Milwaukee in 1986 to continue running the business. He is currently a
community volunteer working on a number of projects in the area of social services, children, seniors, and
health care. Peter went on to law school at University of Wisconsin and is a Senior Partner with the firm of
Christaisen, Fink, Kaplan, Shapiro, & Weil in Los Angeles, California.
Les married Sharon Pass from St. Louis in 1971. They had three children, David Craig Weil bom in 1976
and who recently graduated from the University of Chicago Law School. Kirk Allen Weil was bom in 1978
and is in the restaurant business in St. Louis. Our daughter, Kelly Susan Weil was bom in 1982 and died at
age eleven in 1993 of cancer.
Before her death, Kelly wrote a story called Zink the Zebra. The story is about a Zebra who had spots and
was different from all tiie other Zebras. Because of this sensitive story, Les founded a national nonprofit
organization in 1994 called Zink the Zebra Foundation. This educational foundation helps teach childrai the
concepts of tolerance, acceptance, and respect for others. It can be found on the web at
www.zinkthezebra.org. The headquarters for the organization are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Sharon and Les were divorced in 1986. Les married Jodi Peck from Milwaukee, in 1987. He has two
stepchildren; Adam Jonathan Peck bom in 1976, who is married to Laura Rothman from Milwaukee. He is a
charted fmancial analyst with Northern Tmst in Miami, Florida. Camilla Peck bom in 1977 is a staff
associate for the President of the University of Miami and presently resides in Coral Cables, Florida.
16
Peter M. Weil
Peter is the great-grandson of Karl (Solomon) Weil, the grandson of Leopold Weil, and the son of Karl Weil
Peter was bom on January 19, 1948 in St. Louis, Missouri. He received a BA with Honors and a JD cum
laude from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 1970 and 1974, respectively. He also received an M.A.
in History from the University of California at Berkeley in 1971.
Peter married Elissa Luobanow, from Nashville, Tennessee in 1970. They had two children, Sarah Vanessa,
who was bom in 1980, and Adam Daniel, who was bom in 1985. Sarah graduates this June from the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and plans to attend law school. Adam is a sophomore at Crossroads High
School in Santa Monica, California.
Mr. Weil began practicing law in Chicago in 1974. In 1977, he moved to Los Angeles and joined Wyman,
Bautzer, Christensen, Kuchel & Silbert as an associate. He became a partner with that firm in 1980. In 1988,
he, along with thirteen of his partners, founded Christensen, Miller, Fink, Jacobs, Glaser, Weil & Shapiro,
LLP. Mr. Weil is one of the firm's senior partners and chair of the firm's Business Department. The firm has
approximately 1 1 0 attorneys.
Peter and Elissa were divorced in 1993. Peter married Julie Ann Reich (ne Lappin) in 1994 in Jemsalem.
Julie, who grew up in Evanston, Illinois, received a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a J.D.
from Northwestern University. Julie practiced law for ten years. Peter and Julie have two children, Alex
Jordan, who was bom on December 6, 1995, and Kaley Elizabeth, who was bom on November 29, 1997.
Both Alex and Kaley attend school at Stephen S. Wise Temple.
Mr. Weil has been a member of the City of Los Angeles Planning Commission since 1995 and served as its
President from 1997 until 2002. Before joining the Planning Commission, Mr. Weil served as Chairman of
the City of Los Angeles Board of Zoning Appeals from 1993 until 1995.
Peter is involved with a variety of not-for-profit organizations. He is a member of the Board of Directors of
the University of Wisconsin Foundation, which manages the investment of a billion and half-dollars of
assets. He serves as a member of the National Board of Governors of the American Friends of the Hebrew
University, and is currently President of its Greater Los Angeles Region. He also serves as a member of the
National Board of Governors of the American Jewish Committee and is currently Vice President for Inter-
Religious Affairs of its Los Angeles Chapter. Mr. Weil also serves as a member of the Los Angeles Board of
Overseers of the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, is a member of the Board of Trustees
of Stephen S. Wise Temple and a member of the Board of Directors of University Wisconsin-Madison Hillel.
17
Ronald Weil
Son of Elsie and Joe (Issi) Weil, grandson of Mathilda and Joseph Weil
Great grandson of Babette and Karl (Solomon) Weil
Joe (Issi) came to the United States in 1936 to Port Gibson, Mississippi. Carl and Rose Weil in Port Gibson,
Mississippi, sponsored him. Joe stayed in Port Gibson for about 6 months and thai settled in St. Louis,
Missouri , a big city with a large German population and sizable Jewish population. He, his brothers Max
(1905-1970) and Stephai (1910-1976), and Karl (a first cousin, 1905-1978) started an import, distribution
food company, Swiss- American Importing Co. in 1938, following a brief attempt at sausage production. The
company met with success selling processed Swiss Gruyere, jams from Belgium, sardines from Norway and
Portugal and cheese from Wisconsin. Stephen left the company in the early 40’s, and the remaining three
Weils built Swiss- American Importing Co into one of the most recognized specialty food importers and
distributors in the country, selling a wide variety of specialty foods primarily under the Dutch Garden©
Brand label.
Joe married Elsie Weiler in June, 1944. Elsie emigrated from Diefflen in 1937 and Joined her brother, Fred,
in Chicago. Both Fred and Elsie worked at Eel-Pro, and eventually were able to buy freedom for their
parents, Paula and Moses Weiler, who came to the U.S. in 1941 . Joe and Elsie had two sons: Jerry and Ron.
Joe died May 13, 1979.
Jerry and Ron Weil joined Swiss- American, Inc. in September of 1 970 following the death of Max Weil.
They still own and run the firm today.
Ron graduated from the U. of Wisconsin, Madison with a degree in Economics. He met his wife Ginny
while on a semester abroad in Stockholm, Sweden. Ginny, originally from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, also went
to the U. of Wisconsin and majored in Russian. They have three children: Aaron, Zachary, and Rebecca.
After the children were grown, Giimy went back to school and received a Masters in Social Work from the
George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis. She is currently employed
in research at Missouri Institute of Mental Health.
Aaron Weil, the oldest of the three children graduated in May, 2002 from Washington University in St. Louis
with both B.A. and B. S.B.A. degrees. During his studies, he spent almost two years in Israel including time
at two kibbutzim, a semester at Hebrew U. in Jerusalem, and a semester at the Technion in Haifa.
Zachary Weil, the next oldest graduated from high school and currently works as a marketing specialist for a
large beverage company.
Rebecca Weil is currently in college in Phoenix, Arizona finishing her undergraduate degree, with plans to
pursue a law degree.
18
Liz Thalheimer Gebier
Daughter of Ella Weil and Jacob Thalheimer, granddaughter of Albert Weil and
great granddaughter to Karl (Solomon Weil) and Babette Goetter
I am the daughter of Ella Weil Thalheimer and Jacob Thalheimer and the granddaughter of Betty Sundheimer
Weil and Albert Weil. I was bom in Munich December 12, 1927. I had a brother John Thalheimer bom
February 15, 1930. We lived in Munich Germany. We knew Leo and Max Weil quite well since they ate
many Sabbath dirmers with us.
My father Jacob and my Uncle Stephan Weil were in the wholesale business of imported woolen in Munich.
My grandfather Albert Weil started the firm.
The nazi regime made us leave Germany. My father was in a concentration camp, Dachau for 32 days. He
was released on my birthday on 1938. We got affidavits from Uncle Sam Weil from Port Gibson,
Mississippi.
We left Germany in the spring of 1939 and made our way to England, where we spent 9 months until our
quota number was called. We then sailed to New York to meet with my fathers side of the family and then
on to St. Louis to the Weil side. We stayed with Tante Matilda and Max. We met Joe and Elsie, Carl and
Edith, also Stephan and Tess.
We made a side trip to Port Gibson to thank Uncle Sam for the affidavit. We met his son Karl and daughter
Rose. It was 1940.
We than traveled to Los Angeles, where our furniture awaited us. We got an apartment and my brother and 1
started school. My father became a salesman of notions and yardage. We were considered enemy aliens
during the first part of the war. My mother died in 1 946 at the age of 45 of a massive coronary. My dad
lived to be 75. My brother married and had two children, Vickie, and Jay. My brother and his wife both died
in their fifties. 1 got married to a great guy named Fred Z Gebier. We have been married 45 years. We both
had some college and he was in the movie business. 1 became a dental assistant and later a retail clerk. We
have one daughter. Her name is Ellen Marla Rose, she is married to Eric Paul Rose, and they have a son
named Max, who is now 8 years old. They live in Tanzana in the San Fernando Valley. Fred and 1 live in a
retirement community in Oceanside. We are both retired. We have a one story free standing home in a very
active community. This brings us up to date.
Looking forward to the reunion.
Love, Liz
19
Eric (Eichtersheimer) EIHs
First Cousin of Marianne Weil Sekulow and Ruth Weil Winick
Hans Erich Eichtersheimer was bom on August 25,1935 in Mannheim Germany. My parents were Moritz
Eichterstersheimer (Mcaris Ellis) son ofAdolph and Hannah Loeb Eichtersheimer of Steinsfort, and Beatrix
Guthmann(Beatrice Ellis) daughter of Soloman (Sigfried) Guthmann and Rosa SchottGuthmann of
Ludwigshaven.
My father Moritz bom June 8, 1904 was Sophie Eichtersheimer Weil's older brother. My mother Beatrix was
bom May 15, (1903). I have to tell a fiinny story here. When I was seventeen years old I needed my birth
certificate for college. As I was going through the strong box to find my birth certificate, I came across my
mother's birth certificate. 1 was surprised and yelled across the house to the kitchen where my mother was: "
Hey Mom !!! They made a missss"SS. (S..take on your birth certificate) The part in parenthesis was never
spoken. Her birth certificate says 1900 but she always had told us she was bom in 1903.
My older brother Arnold, bom January 23, 1934, my parents and myself boarded the SS Washington in
Hamburg on April 20 and arrived in New York on April 28, 1938. 1 was two and a half and thoroughly
enjoyed the
trip. 1 have fond memories of my early childhood in Steinsfort and Ludwigshaven where my other
grandparents, the Guthmanns lived. In America we were supposed to live in Columbus, Georgia where my
father was to work
for Morris Loeb. It was there that my name was changed to Eric Hans Ellis. My father could not stand the
summer heat and humidity in Georgia so we settled for the snow and ice of Syracuse, New York.
1 grew up in Syracuse and received my Ph.D. from Syracuse University. 1 married my best friend Barbara
Joan Dresner on June 29,1958. We have four very nice children; Richard September 3, 1960, Susan
November
17, 1961, Ralph November 16, 1965, and Beatrice August 18, 1970. Barbara and I settled in Sewanee,
Tennessee where 1 just retired after thirty-seven years as a professor of physics, at the University of the
South. Barbara taught school for over twenty years and served for thirteen years as Supervisor of Special
Education for Franklin County.
Ralph married Angela White on January 7, 1989. They have two children, Abigail, and Samuel. Ralph served
in the Air Force and is now a pilot for Delta airlines.
Susan married Darryl Waskow on July 5, 1991. They have two children, Harry and Dorothy. They both work
for Princeton University.
Beatrice married Steve Fine on July 2, 2000. They live in Kansas City where Bea is cultural arts director for
the Jewish Community Center and Steve works in computing.
April 2002
I
I
I
Helen and Julius Weil
By Naomi Feil
Their names are always intertwined. Both bom in 1902, you will find Helen and Julius Weil in Whos Who
in published gerontological references, and in Outstanding Senior Citizens. Julius Weil, Ph.D. studied
philosophy and psychology at the University of Munich. In his early 20's, Julius left Steinsflirt, a bold, eager
intellectual, striving to make his mark. In Freiburg, he met a beautiful young teacher, Breisach-bom Helen
Kahn.
Enchanted, Julius courted and married Helen, against his mother's wishes. Without family support, the two
young idealists moved to Munich, where Julius became the director of a Lehrlingheim, a home for Jewish
orphaned boys in trouble. The boys loved him. In 1932, a daughter, Noemi Gisela was bora. In 1933, a
second child, Gabriella arrived. But trouble brewed in Munich.
The Gestapo searched Lehrlingsheim, threatening Julius and Helen. Uniformed Hitler Youth goosed-stepped
on the streets, sporting swastikas, shouting, "Heil Hitler" Julius and Helen saw the writing on the walls of
Munich: "Juden Rous. " Julius left for America in 1935 to work in Pleasantville, New York, a home for
delinquent boys. In July 1937, Helen and their two daughters followed. Helen got a job at the Jewish
national Refuge Service. At night, they studied at the New York School of Social Work. From a nearby
factory, Helen lugged zippers to be fastened, in her children's doll buggy. The family did "piece work" by
candlelight during the depression -earning half a penny for one finished zipper.
In 1940, Julius, Helen, and their two children moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Julius got a job as
"Superintendent" of the Montefiore Home for the Aged. Helen was the "matron," supervising the laundry
and the kitchen for 90 Jewish residents. The board of directors would not hire a superintendent who kept
kosher. At dawn, Helen walked six miles to buy kosher meat for her family, before starting her work in the
kitchen.
Julius slowly incorporated rehabilitation. An 80-year-old man who had been a shoemaker installed his
equipmait in the basement and opened a shoemaker's shop. A former carpenter continued working in his
carpenter shop. The basement became a beehive of activity and joy. Julius hired the first Occupational
Therapist and Physical Therapist to work in a home for the aged. The Montefiore Home became a
professional agency, recognized throughout the nation for innovative practice. Helen studied at night. She
was the first woman to earn her Bachelor degree at the prominent Catholic University. Helen went on to get
her Master of social Work degree at Case Western Reserve University Sehool of Applied Social Scioice.
She began the first Case Work Department in a home for the aged in 1943. Julius and Helen published their
work. Others followed.
Today, Julius and Helen Weil remain in the hearts of all who work with older people. They were true
Pioneers.
21
JULIUS AND HELEN WEIL
“IN THE SERVICE OE OUR EELLOWMAN"
Julius Weil was born in Germany at LSteinsfurt an der Elsenz on October 6, 1902, one of
six children of Gustav and Matilda (Mengcs) Weil.
He graduated from Oberrealschule in Sinsheim and attended the University of
Heidelburg. As a young scholar preparing for his doctoral examinations at the University of
Munich, Julius Weil studied the path breaking work of Herman Pestalozzi, a renowned Swiss
educator and social philosopher. Weil later acknowledged that Pestalozzi’s ideas were a
guiding influence on his life, especially the thought that “Nothing obliges us to greater
thankfulness to God than being destined to make our livelihood in the service of our
fellowman.”*
With this sense of mission, Julius studied psychiatric social work at the University of
Munich. He focused on children and did his field training at the Rehabilitation Center of
Ursburg. Receiving his Ph.D. in August of 1933, Weil was apparently among the last group of
Jewish candidates to be allowed to graduate from the university after Hitler’s rise to power
earlier that year.^ Weil also acknowledged a level of expertise in abnormal clinical
psychology based in part on additional training he received at the Psychology Institute at the
University of Munich in 1936. Later in his life (1960s), he audited classes in the School of
Medicine at Western Reserve University and at the University of Munich.
Helene (Helen) Kahn was born on January 3, 1902, in Breisach, Germany, a small town
situated along the Rhine River near the French border. She was the middle child of Bertha
Levi and Nathan Kahn, a leather dealer who supplied material to shoe manufacturers. In
addition to an older brother Joseph, who was killed in World War I, and a younger sister
Margaret (Gretel), Helen had four half sisters and a half brother from her father’s first
marriage. Helen received her early education at St. Ursula’s, a Catholic institution in the
nearby town of Breime. Although Protestants and Jews w-ere in the minority (90% of the
3
It
town’s population was Catholic), the Ursuline nuns nurtured Helen’s academic endeavors
and respected and supported her adherence to Jewish orthodox practices. She studied and
trained for teaching and social work at the College of Commerce and Social Sciences in
Freiburg and in Mannheim between 1918 and 1921 and then taught at a commercial high
school in Karlsruhe until her marriage.
The couple married in November of 1924 and settled in Munich where Julius held a
position as a social worker with the municipal Youth Department and the Children’s Court.
Helen who had been active in the Blue and White, a Zionist Youth Organization, became a
member of WIZO, the Women’s International Zionist Organization, and in 1936 served as its
president. From June 1929, until the end of 1936, the couple worked as the director (Julius)
and the social worker/manager (Helen) at the only Jewish school in Germany for homeless,
dependent and/or delinquent boys. The school, the Jewish Home for Apprentices
(Lehrlingsheim), opened in 1928 under the sponsorship of the local Jewish Children’s Aid
Society. The Weils gained the cooperation of the thirty-five boys who lived and attended
school there and introduced self government. They encouraged strong peer relationships and
camaraderie through sports and other activities. “They were,” concluded Flisabeth
Kitzinger, President of the Jewish Children’s Aid and a pioneer in the field of social work in
Germany, “tireless in their efforts.”^ During their administration, the Weils created a
homelike environment where wholesome living, intellectual stimulation, and a positive work
ethic prevailed. Although they understood that institutions could not duplicate normal family
life, they nevertheless tried to empower each child and offer him as many opportunities as
possible to become responsible and independent.
In June 1936, the home was turned over to the Federation of Jewish Communities of
Bavaria. Alarmed at the increasing political unrest and the heightened oppression towards
Jews, Julius and Helen Weil decided to leave Nazi Germany and immigrate to the United
States. Julius left Germany at the end of 1936 and arrived in New York on January 7, 1937.
He took a temporary job washing cars in the gas stations owned by his sponsor. Eventually
with the help of the Jewish Board of Guardians, he found a position in his field as a “cottage
father” at the Cedar Knolls School in Hawthorne, New York. Between 1938 and 1940 he
worked at the Pleasantville Cottage School, a facility for delinquent and dependent boys
operated by the New York Association of Jewish Children.
Helen, whose departure was delayed by the illness of their two daughters, Naomi and
Gabriele, followed in the summer of 1937. Once reunited with her family, Helen put her
background in social work to good use at the Jewish Board of Guardians. She worked at the
National Refugee Service from February 1939 to December 1940. In 1938 and 1939, she
obtained foster care permits from the City of New York and began taking foster children into
their home. She also helped extended family members who had escaped from Germany,
including her mother, sister, and cousins. To earn extra money Helen obtained a contract
with the Strauss Fastener Company and brought home piecework. During these uncertain
4
J.i Ö
I
I
home in Cleveland, Ohio. RnronlgeTby «Ifc"'"''"“'!?
December, rhe family moved to Cleveland andTuV"
director of the Montefiore Home in Cleveland Heivh «««'«
The move ,o Cleveland could nor h K ®
the familiarity of family and friends wlh Zl
adi^irred, rvas heartsick at rhe idea of ® Helen later
hopeless period of rhe Nazi persecurion,”5 M'o?eovern°“h“f ’
re:r- — ' -- -
“nfc-Xk h ZslIlTlrrN™ -'husiasm, Julius
1940 m order ro prepare for rhe challenges ahead' He "bT u
conraers with leading reformers in rhe city Once Ptofessional
-d then graduared from John Carroll University I n M
■n 194,1 so that she could upgrade both her H »'"> “ PI> B- (-O
Sho marored in philosophy a^nd socirgy hI sero:?'*"'^
Refugee Service and described the plight of Germ 7
Montefiore Home board of trustees that re,? ' convinced rhe
professional social worker, Helen was hired parr r'"" Tlo'^ “
- Social Administration from the Schoo, of Ipptd s ’e / ^
University ,n Cleveland and became rhe Directo^^ofS 7c ««'='''<=
Although inexperienced in the care of rh Z'1 Home,!!
convictions about what constituted good institutional' ’ ^"ong
helped empower individuals ,o achieve their greatest o"'" Philosophy which
sense of self-determination helped them challenge the” Pcscerful
•he successful care and insrirutiona, managemenfp "“r "l-V »f
to the Montefiore Home. There was one notable ' ‘''''='°Pcd with children
horsiirrL::;: — =hkrdZd?n;::t^^^^^^^^
earned the right ro rest. Thef dieted'’ *!I‘^u«'lir'"''''"®, P“P'= h^d
tcsulted from a feeling of uselessness. To remedy h /""I ’ disturbances
with residents who agreed to participate 'n allivir ""'"'P''' individualized plans
te ep one, and helping in the kitchen. They theorizerth'"' answering the
helped extend physical capacities, and promoted a f I T''" ^
■nteresrs and skills of other residents, they 11, I ® -'P»-h. Building on rhe
cstpentry. shoemaking, and a home store. They offemd ILTn, 7'^'’'’'’^
ents the opportunity to earn
5
T-u ^r.r'onraged activities which
».o,, benefits” and to
j 1 r.f anv aee would consider normal.
iXctot, ,«fius wen tested “ ",rbl:S
Aimed with this ptogtess.ve and ^ V „seatch setung.
began to eraft an environment ,n wh.eh the „f id,„bb,,ng the
At first, the defining atttibute °f '''"’'J d the more eommon pract.ee o
„„ds of the .ndividual through casewo . i„,„gtttated activity ^
assuming that all elderly were ahke La , „f ,„d,v,duals^
„ereauonal and occ^paho^ dtlmentally changed the .nst.tutions ,n wh.ch
These efforts revitalized older peop
they lived.
Af ^
\
Babette Weil and Victor Freita
By Sonia Babette Freitag Kuniansky
Today’s date 2/10/02
My Grandfather Victor Freitag
B. Germany June 19, 1838
D. Atlanta, GA Aug. 9, 1919, buried in Oakland Cemetery
Immigrated to U.S. as a young man
Lived in New York City, address in 1893 on his son Joseph’s birth certificate was 66 E. 120 St.
Job as listed on Joseph’s birth certificate was collector. I had been told he was a Rabbi at the Montefiore
Orphans home in Brooklyn, N.Y. I was also told there is a plaque honoring him in the building. I don’t
know if the facility still exists. I was also told he was bom in Stuttgart, Germany. I have one item that
belonged to Victor with some information, a silver loving cup inscribed “Presented to Bro. Victor Freitag by
the Chananiah Lodge no. 165, 1.0. B.B. 1867-October 21,1917. I have a feeling it was a good by gift as I
think they moved to Atlanta shortly before he died. I also have a roll top desk that was supposed to belong to
Victor and a sewing table that belonged to his wife Babette.
My grandmother, Babette Weil Freitag
B. Germany, April 29, 1 847
D. Atlanta, G A May 29, 1 922, also buried at Oakland
I now believe she was born in Steinsfiirt, Germany, immigrated to the US. I was told to Montgomery,
Alabama. Son Joseph was bom Aug. 5, 1893 when his mother was 45 according to his birth certificate. She
had 1 1 children, but in 1893 on 8 surviving. Joseph was the last child. The living children were, Ida, Clara,
Simon, Leo, Dave, Albert, Bessie and Joseph. All but Dave and Albert ended up in Atlanta, GA.
The story 1 was told is that she had an Uncle Samuel Weil who immigrated to South America from Alabama
because he objected to slavery. However, information I got from Lillian Bemstein-Hahn makes me think
that is not the case. If Samuel Weil was my grandmother Babette’s uncle, he lived in Germany, not the U.S.
I have no information about when either of my grandparents immigrated, and 1 am not sure that Babette came
from Montgomery, Al. As 1 had been told, she must have married Victor when she was 18-20 because Ida,
who I think was the oldest living child was bom in 1868 and Babette would have been 21.
1 will give you what information I have on the offspring of Victor and Babette
Ida Freitag Schlesinger
B. New York City 6/9/1868
D. Atlanta, GA 3/13/1956, buried at Oakland
Married to Morris B. Schlesinger B. 12/29/1861, D. 2/19/1916, Atlanta
They had one child, a daughter, Mrs. Taylor who lived in a small town in Tennessee, had no children. No
Jewish affiliation that I know of. I only saw Aunt Ida one time that I remember, she lived with her daughter
in Tennessee after her husband died.
Clara Freitag Metzger
Don’t know when she was bom or died. She lived in Atlanta. She must have died sometime in the ‘50’s
because she was at my wedding in 1950 and died several years later. She is buried at Oakland, but there is
no marker on her side of the grave. Her husband Simon Metzger’s grave was marked he was bom
12/10/1863 and died 8/27/1940. I don’t remember him at all. Aunt Clara I think was responsible for all the
Freitags moving to Atlanta. Her husband Simon was very prosperous — he had a factory of some sort. I
remember Aunt Clara had an apartment at Atlanta’s finest apartment building at the time, the 1050 Ponce de
Leon and had a chauffeur and big black car. 1 also remember that she was a real grouch and bossy. 1 think
everyone moved here to make their fortune because Aunt Clara had done so '.. ell. The Metzgers had 2 sons,
Herbert and his wife had no children, Sydney Metzger married Irma from Selma, Alabama They lived in
Atlanta for many years then moved to Selma. They had three children, Katherine bom around 1925-6,
Sydney Jr. bom around 1928-9, and Claire bom around 1930. I have an address for Katherine Metzger
Martin, 610 Kahn Dr. Baltimore, Md. 21208-5824 She is divorced and has a couple of kids.
22
Sydney Jr. lives in N.J.Claire Metzger Jacobs (I think Mrs. Joshua) lives in St. Louis and has 3 kids. 1 got
information on the Metzger kids from Matile Ginberg who hears from Katherine at Christmas.
Simon Freitag married Isabel Moore Freitag, they had one child Arline. They lived in Atlanta. Simon died
young, I don’t have any information on either one. Arline (my first cousin) married Leon Frohsin owner of
one of Atlanta’s fine dress shops. They had one son Leon Jr. who died young. He had been married to a
member of the Hay family from Macon, GA. They had two children, Kim who I think lives in California and
Leon III who lives in Atlanta, 16060 Henderson Rd., Alpharetta, GA 770-475-2268.
Arline was named Woman of the Year in Atlanta for all her philanthropic activities in the 50’s. She was a
lovely person. After Leon Sr. died she married Herman Levy an old friend. She died in the late 1980’s or
early 90’s. Arline was only 10 years younger than my mother, and they were very good friends.
David Freitag married Annie. They lived in Brooklyn, N.Y. had 2 daughters, Barbara and Betty who were
school teachers. Neither married and they lived together all their lives. Armie was supposed to be from a
family that dated back to the American Revolution, but I really do not know if that is true. 1 met Barbara and
Betty in NY, they were very shy but nice. They have been dead for some time.
Bessie Freitag Brummer
B.New York City 7/19/1880
D. Atlanta 6/19/1958, buried at Oakland
Married Julian Joseph Brummer
B. 10/17/1866
D. Atlanta, 12/15/1938
They lived in Atlanta, had one son that died as a child. Bessie graduated from Hunter Normal School, NYC
before it became Hunter College. Bessie was the family storyteller, most of the information 1 have is from
hCT stories. Unfortunately, much of her information was not verifiable. She was a very lively person, a
hypochondriac, prone to exaggerate but fun to be around even tho she was always sick with some imagined
illness. I remember she always smelled of mothballs. She also loved to eat. Of all dad’s siblings I liked
Aunt Bessie the best. She used to have dinner with us often, especially after my grandmother Brail moved
back to Atlanta. Aunt Bessie was the only Freitag that talked at all about her past, but I’m not sure her
information wasn’t a figment of her active imagination.
Leo Freitag married Florence Dettlebach, They lived in Atlanta. I Do not know birth or death dates except
Uncle Leo died before I got married. Aunt Florence died in New York in the 80’s at a very old age.
They had 2 kids, Victor and Amelia Black Lobsenz Abraham — Amelia had a very successful public relations
firm in New York, she used the name Lobsenz in business. Her last husband was Harry Abraham a very
successful surgeon in Long Island, NY, she was married to him the longest. Her second husband. Normal
Lobsenz was a writer. Amelia also did some writing before starting her PR firm. Amelia died in the late 90's
of breast cancer. We saw each other occasionally either in Atlanta or NYC, Amelia had 2 children, Michael
Lobsenz vdio, I believe is a social worker in the Washington DC area, and Kay Abraham who worked for her
mother and lives in New York — we lost touch after Amelia died. Amelia sold her business before she died.
Victor married Mary Frances and moved to a small town in either North or South Carolina, he died in the
80’s, I believe Amelia told me he died of Lou Gherigs disease. Victor had no ties to Judiasm. I know he had
children. Victor was a paratrooper in WW II and rode a motorcycle, he was quite a dashing figure as a young
man, a little on the wild side.
Albert Freitag from what I have been told was the family maverick. These stories I got from Aunt Bessie.
He ran off and joined Teddy Roosevelt’s RoughRiders. When he got back as the story goes, he walked into
his brother Dave’s store, they got into an argument, he left and went to Australia. On our trips to Australia,
we have never been able to find any trace of Albert. I doubt if he had any relationship to Judiasm, and I’m
not even sure if he really went to Australia — it makes a good story.
23
Freitag History
My Father, Joseph Victor Freitag was actually bom Joseph Ferdnand Freitag
B. 8/5/1893 New York City
D. 7/14/1961 Atlanta, Ga. Crestlawn Crypt
Bessie had told him,, his name was Joseph Victor and he was bom on Aug. 4. Dad found the mistake when
he applied for a passport in the 30’s and had to get his birth certificate. He legally changed his name,
because at that time he was in business, the Freitag Advertising Agency and had used the wrong name
professionally. 1 do know he went to P.S. 1 0 in New York City, but do not know what other formal
education he had. Dad was a great reader, and very well informed on many subjects, but 1 am not sure he
went past high school. He came to Atlanta when he was around 20-21 to work for Norris Candy Co. After
marrying Esther, he started his agency sometime in 1925-27. He was very successful, his was the first
advertising agency in Atlanta. I did hear that he took care of his parents, and that is why they moved to
Atlanta. 1 also know he helped most of his siblings financially because he was financially well off after his
advertising agency was established. Joe married Esther Brail Adler , a widow, on October 24, 1922. Joe
and Esther had two children, Joseph V. Freitag, Jr. and me, Sonia Babette Freitag Kuniansky.
Joe Jr. was bom April 7, 1924 and died Jan. 12, 1981. He went to Darlington Prep School in Rome, GA.
Started at Georgia Tech, but enlisted in the army and because he had a high IQ was sent to Georgetown
Univ.for pre-med and then on to Buffalo Univ. for medical school, but the war ended before he graduated,
and he quit. He went to New York to Parsons School of Design, got masters in fine art from NYU. He had a
successful interior design business until his death at age 57 from cancer. He was divorced and had no
children.
Sonia bom 2/13/28, went to Stephens College, and Tobe Cobum School in NYC, worked for a year then
married Raymond Kunianksy May 31, 1950. They have three children, Joanne B. 2/21/53, Eve B. 1/4/55 and
Ray Jr. B. 10/19/56. Joanne is married to Ron Poulsen, they live in Sydney, Australia, no kids. Eve, an
engineer, lives in Atlanta. Ray Jr. married Paula, they have one son Marc and live in Atlanta.
Unfortunately, no one in the Freitag family talked much about their ancestors; so 1 have very little
information. There is also no one left that can give me any information. 1 know absolutely nothing about my
grandfather Victor Freitag, and what I have learned about Babette comes mostly from Lillian. My parents
found the Argentine relatives as a result of writing the American Embassy in Buenos Aires inquiring about
the family of Samuel Weil before they went down there on vacation. As a result of that inquiry they found a
whole bunch of relatives they didn’t know about, and that is how we got connected.
That’s about it.
Today’s date 2/14/02
I
I
By Carlos A. Weil
My grandfather Adolf was the fifth child (third son) of Josef (Jessel) Weil and Fanny Götter (page 83, Stamm
1 , Linie 4, 4/2). His two older brothers, Leopold and Gustav
emigrated to the USA, where Weils and Getters (uncles and cousins of them) had settled earlier.
Adolf had to stay at home, in Steinsfurt, to help his mother raising his siblings, and even more so when his
father (Joseph) died in 1887. He married my grandmother Jenny Kirchheimer (from Berwangen) in 1890, and
the couple liv^ in the Jessel’s house, where my father and uncles and aunt were bom.
As recorded elsewhere, Adolfs younger brothers also moved to the USA and then to Argentina. So, then,
Adolf was the only male of the Jessel’s who stayed in Steinsfurt and became a sort of anchor and
communication center for the family, especially after Fanny died in 1914.
Elise Weil, one of the younger sisters, also went to Argentina, originally to help her brothers out in their
household. She married Fischoff, who was a partner of Hermann, Ferdinand and Sam, and managed the
branch in Rosario (the second largest city in Argentina and very important grain exporting port) and their
daughter Alicia was bom there.
Adolfs two older brothers kept corresponding with their mother and later with Adolf, but never returned to
Steinsfurt.
Hermann, Ferdinand and Sam did visit Steinsfurt, after immigrating to Argentina.
Fischoff, at age 40, more or less, decided he had worked enough, and sold his part of the business to the Weil
Bros, for an enormous (at that time) amount of “Argentinos Oro” (Argentine gold coins, a currency as solid
as gold Sterling Pounds), and moved with Elise and Alicia (Then a child) to his native Hungary, where he
bought a feudal estate and retired.
Ferdinand died in 1910.
Hermann moved back to Germany and settled in Frankfurt (where he was treated by Dr. Ehrlich), long before
WWl.
Sam stayed in Buenos Aires, running the Argentine office, until his death in 1922.
My father, Josef (Seppel) Weil, bom in 1891, was the oldest of Adolfs children. After finishing his basic
schooling in Sinsheim, it was his turn to emigrate.
First he went to Ludwigshafen to work in his aunt’s Hanna Weil (4/2/M) shop, to get a little bit of
experience. The he went to Holland and from there to Buenos Aires. When asked why he chose to go to
Argentina instead of going to the USA, my father answered: “At that time it was the same thing; 1 had to
learn a new language and get used to a new country; but 1 never had seen the faces of my uncles in the USA,
whereas 1 knew Hermann, had met Sam and Ferdinand, so 1 preferred to go to a place where 1 knew whom 1
would go to work for”.
So, in 1908 my father came to Buenos Aires, where he was immediately put to work in Weil Hermanns,
traveling all over the grain-growing provinces, with the buyers, learning the trade, and so forth. He
progressed quite nicely.
In 1914 he got his first home-leave and visited his parents, and also the Weil Hermanns offices in London
and Rotterdam.
During WWl Weil Hermanos, being a “German” company, was blacklisted by the Allies. Hermann Weil, in
Frankfurt, conceived his “U-Boot” plan which, among otho- things, consisted of a scheme to “comer” the
com harvest in Argentina, and hold on to it and then sell it, through “straw companies” to the Allies, at
certain dates, forcing the Allied ships to come to the Argentine ports at certain times, making it easier for the
German submarines to hunt down and sink the Allied freighters.
This scheme needed money. At the time lots of Argentine Government Bonds (worth a lot of money) were
stranded in Germany, so to finance this “plan” it was necessary to bring those Bonds back to Argentina and
sell them surreptitiously in the local market. My father, Seppel, at that time already an Argentine citizen, took
over the operation of smuggling out of Germany these Bonds. He organized a CIA type of operation
engaging some members of the crews of Dutch passenger ships ( Holland remained neutral during WWl),
and he himself went to Europe in 1916 to head Äis operation. Being an Argentine citizen he could move
around.
Besides visiting Steinsfurt, he took his father all the way to Hungary, in spite of the war going on, to visit his
aunt Elise and cousin Alicia that lived like kings there. They ate off solid gold dishes!
Incidentally, he visited Stuttgart, at the request of Alfredo and Lisa (Gottschalk) Hirsch, to see how the
Gottschalks were coping with the war situation. He briefly met there Lisa’s youngest sister, Hilde, who was
1
the only one of the three Gottschalk daughters still at home. Hilde was not greatly impressed by my father,
just courteously said hello and made some small talk, excused herself and went to her own things.
My father proceeded to carry out all the fieldwork of Hennann’s scheme, and had most of the bonds
smuggled out through Holland, and then, he himself took a ship back home.
But some things had filtered through to the Allies that suspected something or had information. The fact is
that when the ship stopped in Dakar, Seppel was hauled off by the French and Jailed and interrogated and
accused as spy and a court-martial was prepared. Being an Argentine citizen and so forth, plus the pulling of
some strings, plus the urgent visit of the Argentine consul from Casablanca, intervention of influential
Argentine and Neutral personalities, etc. forced the French to release my father who took the next ship to
Buenos Aires.
The Bonds were delivered in Buenos Aires. The Dutch ships were thoroughly combed-through by the Allies
but they weren’t found. Some of them were wrapped and stuffed into blocked boiler-condenser tubes!
Anyway, the “U-Boot” plan didn’t work.
My father never talked much about this “youth” adventure. He only used to say, smiling, “Well...l finally
avoided facing a firing-squad”. Some of the information we got came from his good friend (and later a
partner of Weil Hermanos) Julius Flegenheimer. He didn’t give us many details either, being that he was in
charge of the Rotterdam office until he himself moved to Argentina when Hitler took over Germany.
Seppel spoke very good Spanish, but with a German accent. He taught himself excellent English and French.
He corrected our spelling mistakes in Spanish and English. My mother did that with our French.
After WWl, Alfredo Hirsch and wife went to Germany and Alfredo and Lisa convinced Hilde to come with
them to Argentina. Hilde was quite a character, very independent, emancipated. The middle sister, Edith,
had been studying Agricultural Sciences at the University in Stuttgart, where she met a Rumanian student,
Ernesto Salomon. When Ernesto graduated, they married and moved to Argentina, also before WWl. So
Hilde agreed to come to Argentina, where she again met Seppel.
In spite of being terrible competitors, the Hirschs (Alfredo was the absolute boss of Bunge & Born, world-
wide) and the Weils did a lot of socializing.
To make a long story short, my father courted and finally convinced Hilde to marry him, which they did
April 21, 1921. My father was 30; my mother was over 25, “an old maid”. Tante Alice’s comment was
“^Why do you want to marry an old spinster?
When Sam died in 1922, his son Peter was still very young. Felix didn’t care about the business, and Anita
and Lottie weren’t even remotely involved, so professional managers, some of which didn’t see eye-to-eye
with my father and vice-versa, administrated Weil Hermanos. So, a couple of years later, Seppel had to leave
Weil Hermanos and he set up his own grain business.
In the earlyl920’s, after serving as Naval aviator, Seppel’s second brother Max and their cousin Seppele
Lehmann came to Argentina. Tante Alice didn’t want any more relatives in her business, so my father took
them to Bunge & Bom. Max was sent to the remote northern Province of Chaco, where he set up the first
modem cotton gin and processing plant in Argentina, for Bunge & Bom. Seppele Lehmann was employed by
Bunge’s flour and vegetable oil division, where he progressed and stayed until his retirement.
My brother Alfredo Leopoldo was bom April 21, 1925.
Max resided in Resistencia, Chaco. When he married Leonor, they settled there.
Isi, after his soldiering in WWl, first went to Holland and then came to Argentina July 9'''. 1928. 1 was bom
July 5'*'. Isi was the Godfather in my Brit Mila.
After Flora’s divorce, Isi went to Germany and brought her and her two sons to Argentina.
Kurt, as Chico wrote to you, was able to study Engineering. He specialized in flour and rice mills and was
employed by the Braunschweig (MlAG) Company. The first Jewish employee of this company. He was sent
to install mills in several places, such as the Azores Islands (Terceira), Brasil. He set up his own engineering
company and workshop in Porto Alegre.
Isi convinced Max to set up a partnership. Max quit Bunge & Bom and joined his brother in “Isidoro Weil &
Co”. They built a vegetable oil plant and became quite prosperous. Their cousin Josef Siegmund (page 80,
Stamm 1, Linie 1, 1/2/G) worked with them.
In 1930 my grandfather Adolf and Oma Jenny came to visit in B.A. The idea was to have the stay here, but
Adolf became restless and wanted to “go home”. They returned and Adolf died shortly afterwards. Isi went to
Steinsftirt, sold the house to their neighbours (Bart family, whose daughter Hildegard is Appenzeller’s wife),
and N-ought Oma Jenny to B.A. Oma Jenny lived with Flora and their children and Isi, until Isi married
Anny.
2
Wlien Kurt settled in Porto Alegre, Oma Jenny every now and then said “1 have to see how my Kurt is
doing” and just set off, by hydro-plane, to Porto Alegre. She never learned Spanish, never even took the
streetcar alone, but flying to Porto Alegre in Brasil, another world, was a natural for her. She stayed with
Kurt until convinced that he was doing fine and then came back. This lasted until Kurt married.
After leaving Weil Hermanos, my father set up a partnership with another grain broker. The 1929/31 crises
took a heavy toll and they lost a lot of money. The company went out of business. Afterwards my father
worked alone, in his small company, with his ups and downs. As he was a very proud man and had no
“anspriiche” he preferred to fight it out by himself. His main preoccupations were to maintain an honourable
home, give his two sons a good education and, last but not least, get out of Germany as many Jews as
possible and working in favour of Jewish causes.
My father used to be a very active sportsman. Mainly rowing. He was part of the first division “8” crew of
the “Teutonia” Rowing Club, the German rowing club here, until April 1933.
When the Deutscher Hospital, Deutscher Klub, etc, were Nazified, in 1933, at the first cry of “Juden Raus”,
my father and other German Jewish residents here, reacted violently and fistfights and general brawls ensued.
In one case my father and companions landed in the Police Precinct, but they had their fun breaking chairs
over the heads of “brown-shirts” and knocking their teeth out.
My father had been a prominent person in all these institutions, member of their Boards, etc.
Immediately afterwards, together with his brothers, friends, etc, they founded the “Hilfsverein fur
Deutschspechende Juden” (afterwards: “ Asociaciön Filantröpica Israelita”), and my father became the first
“provisional” President, until the by-laws were approved and the Hilfsverein sailed ahead. Going to the port
and receiving the immigrants (who came with 10 Marks, maybe a stamp collection and a Leica Camera),
taking them home for their first meal, finding a lodging and a Job for them and arranging Spanish lessons for
them, was a flill-time occupation for the Weil family.
They helped founding the several German-Jewish Communities.
Seppel was also very active in helping the Spanish Republican cause during the Spanish Civil war, and then
taking care of the Republican refugees that came here.
Besides, my father was member of the board, nearly during all his lifetime in Argentina, of the oldest Jewish
Congregation here (in this synagogue he was married, and we had our Bar Mitzvahs and mairied there).
He also was Secretary of the Board of the “Soprotimis” (Sociedad de Proteccion del Inmigrante Israelita).
This was the local version of the HIAS-HICEM. A lot of Jews that had originally emigrated to Paraguay,
Bolivia, etc. had illegally drifted into Argentina, where they had their employments, businesses, shops, raised
families, etc. Their situation was very precarious. During Peron’s dictatorship, taking advantage of an
unforeseen favourable political opening (a temporary breaking down of the good relations between Peron,
Evita and the Catholic Church), around 1950/5 1, my father was nominated to a committee to interview Peron
and request the legalization of the “illegal” residents.
Peron received them together with the Interior Minister, and the political manipulation of the situation turned
out to be a success. Peron issued a Decree by which if two witnesses ascertained that the person involved had
resided in Argentina for two years, he was entitled to obtain the immediate certificate of residence and
Identity Card by the Federal Police. But this affidavit had to be countersigned by two of four members of the
committee, one of which was my father.
So Seppel Weil’s signature endorsed some thousands of affidavits to legalize the situation of Jewish illegals,
which were then submitted to the Chief of the Federal Police who, much to his displeasure, had to issue the
ID’s. The Chief of the Federal Police was an out-and-out Nazi and outspoken anti-Semite.
Obviously, the “grateful” Jews had to offer afterwards a banquet in homage to Peron and Evita, at which my
parents had to sit at the head table
When we were young, most Friday nights we were all together, taking turns. Jenny lived with Flora and
Jacques, but Erev Schabbes was held at our apartment, at Max’s, Isi’s, Flora’s.
Also, Sunday evening was open house at Flora and Jacques’.
We all lived in a quiet residential district in Buenos Aires, within walking distance from each other.
Uncle Max was also very active in Jewish Community affairs. He was President of the Congregation I
mentioned above. Lillian will probably write about her parents.
Uncle Isi was President of the Joint, here, during several terms.
My father contracted Parkinson’s disease and became a little clumsy and stiff. On a rainy Friday evening my
mother called him at his office and told him to come home early and go together to the Synagogue near their
apartment. My father took the bus, from his office to the railroad station, as usual, and when he stepped off
the bus and the rear doors closed, his raincoat was caught in the door and he fell. The rear wheels of the bus
3
rolled over one of his legs. He was conscious all the time, arranged his hospitalization, had us all contacted,
(1 was in the plant 1 managed, quite far from the hospital). When all the family was assembled around him, in
the hospital bed, (children and grandchildren) he smiled satisfied and blessed all of us.
Uncle Kurt, as soon as he got news of the accident, flew down immediately. He loved his oldest brother very,
very dearly.
They operated and fixed my father’s leg as best as possible, but Seppel probably knew that with the
advancing Parkinson plus his broken bones, he would be a burden to the family or something alike, so he
probably gave up and died peacefully August 23, 1964. (Elul 15* ) Uncle Kurt performed tlie Taharä.
His funeral was attended by lots and lots of people, Jews and Gentiles, poor and rich, old and young,
intellectuals, musicians, businessmen, writers, representatives of institutions, the Grain Exchange...
Two Rabbis spoke at his grave. One, a German Jewish Rabbi, Hans Harff (still living) head of the first
German Jewish Congregation founded by the refugees. The other. Rabbi Dr. Marshall T. Meyer, bom and
raised in the U.S., who founded here the Conservative Judaism and spent over 20 years in Argentina, and was
very close to us.
We still miss Seppel. He was quite a character. Modest, straightforward, kind but firm in his convictions,
generous to a fault, courageous. God-fearing. An exemplary father and husband. As Rabbi Marshall T.
Mayer said in his funeral address: “Being with Seppel was a cleansing experience”.
In his tombstone we engraved the Hebrew words that were part of the Parsha read in the week of his death
(Devarim, XXVI, 3-16) “I lived according to all thy commandments which thou has commanded me. 1 have
not transgressed thy commandments neither have 1 forgotten them. I have done according to all that thou hast
commanded me”.
Concerning my mother, Hilde Gottschalk. She was the third daughter of Gustav Gottschalk and Emma
Schwarz. Gustav was bom in the Rhineland, Emma in Stuttgart. Gustav had to apply for the Württemberg
King’s permission to be able to settle in Stuttgart. He fought in the 1870 war.
Their three daughters were brought up in the very cultured atmosphere of the Württemberg kingdom. Lisa
(the oldest sister) sang, Edith was a gifted pianist. My mother played violin and music was, for her, a very,
very part important part of her life.
Lisa got married very young to Alfredo Hirsch, and moved to Buenos Aires. Edith studied Agricultural
Sciences at the University in Stuttgart, where she met a young Rumanian student, Ernesto Salomon. When
Ernesto graduated, they married and also moved to Argentina.
Gustav was a very good Jew. His vast knowledge of the Hebrew language was unusual, for a small bourgeois
textile merchant. He was very unhappy when his two oldest daughters, following their husbands’ wishes,
assimilated and baptized their children, which were brought up as Catholics.
The King of Württemberg was very friendly towards his Jewish citizens, and he blessed them and wished
them well every Rosh Hashanah.
My mother was “confirmed” at their Congregation, which was a very advanced thing at the time (this
ceremony later developed into the Bat-Mitzvah).
Hilde was a very emancipated, independent and strong-minded young girl. She was always way ahead of her
time. She studied music at the “Hoch-Schule ftir Musik” (a University College), sang in the choir of the
synagogue.
She went alone from Stuttgart to other towns to assist to concerts, the introduction of new composers and
their music, meet musicians, intellectuals. Gustav encouraged her and stimulated her.
She was an observant Jewess, very God-fearing. But she knew no other fears. She stood up to anyone, any
time.
After WWI, when the Hirschs went to visit Stuttgart to see how the Gottschalks had managed throughout the
war, they convinced Hilde to go to Buenos Aires with them.
She immediately got involved in the musical and Jewish life here, sang in the synagogue’s choir, gave music
lessons and lectures, but she was decided to go back to Germany, until Seppel proposed. When he did, she
said “How dare you to propose marriage, when 1 have already booked my ticket back to Germany?
Obviously, she cancelled the ticket.
My mother was very methodic and able to devote herself intensely to music, Jewish welfare, bringing up her
children, family, and all sorts of cultural things, besides running the house.
She was Secretary of the Board, and later President, of the Jewish Girls Orphanage. With the help of a small
professional staff she practically ran the institution, which had up to 200 girls, at a certain time. She
controlled their health, performance at the public schools, (she read every school-report) and afterwards at
wi>
4
the trade-schools (nursing, secretarial training, whatever), and even married them off. One goal she had was
to collect enough money, each year, to cover two months of the Orphanage’s budget. She never failed to
achieve this.
At that time social services were unknown here, so she went to the broken homes, to the sick, TB infected,
etc. Our home was a constant procession of destitute Jewish families, sick persons, etc. that were fed and
clothed while they told their problems to my parents.
Not all the girls were orphans. Some were from broken homes, some had relatives that could have taken care
of them but didn’t want to, etc. My mother always first tried to keep the children at their home or with
families, but that was not the way to do things at the time and she had to fight very hard to have some
successlbl cases. Girls came not only from Buenos Aires and surrounding areas but also from all over
Argentina. My mother was a one-person Social Service.
We were also participants. We held the second Seder, for many years, at the orphanage, with “her girls”. And
went there for National Holiday celebrations, etc. The other ladies did not bring their children there. We
were, from our early years, shown the problems of the poor, the orphans, and to approach these to help them
out. Not to keep at a distance. GET fNTVOLVED.
She trained a younger goieration and retired. Several years later some very prominent Jews visited her; they
ask her to take again the helm of the Orphanage. The place was in disrepair, deficit was tremendous, due to
changing economics and more modem Social Services the quantity of girls had diminished and last, but not
least, the women in charge were figure-heads, lots of University degrees, but absolutely inefficient. She
formed a small “task force” with ladies, much younger than herself, and got into action.
With the approval of these prominent Jews she sold the large white elephant to an Armenian Association and
bought a large residence in one of the swankest districts of Buenos Aires. She was much criticized because of
this and she replied “My Jewish girls deserve to live in the best district of Buenos Aires”.
Then she found foster homes for some. She engaged the assistance of the Israeli Embassy and quite a number
of girls settled in Israel. At the end of her new period of intensive work, there was no need anymore for the
Orphanage and the building was turned over to the “Hilfsverein” for their social activities. At that time she
was way over 70.
My grandparents (Gottschalks) visited frequently Argentina and as soon as Hitler made his first moves they
came to live here. Gustav was a very prominent member of the Bnei B’rith Lodge in Stuttgart and he brought
here the founding charter for the Buenos Aires B’nei Brith Lodge, becoming the founder and first President
of the Lodge here (as sister Lodge of Stuttgart’s). He obviously was much closer to the Seppels Jewish
household than to the Hirschs and Salomons. He came every day, and nearly every evening he came to say
with his two grandsons the Hamalach Hagoel and Shema Israel. He celebrated his Golden Wedding
Anniversary here and died shortly afterwards, while we were still in our childhood.
Until 1931 we lived in a downtown apartment (where we were bom). From 193 1 to 1942 (after my Bar
Mitzvah) we lived in a large house; there we fed and lodged recent arrivals. Relatives, friends of my parents,
unknowns. Some stayed with their families. Some stayed for weeks, until they got their papers and could
bring the rest of the families.
Also, our home was a continuous parade of artists, writers, democratic politicians, opera singers, conductors,
from all over the world.
In 1942, due to my father’s economic problems, we moved to a rented apartment, a little further away from
the rest of the family but in the same district. But the life went on as usual. My mother was an anchor, firm as
a rock. She took important decisions, but only when she saw that my father seemed overwhelmed by
problems.
Culture was very important. We went to heaps of concerts, opera, museums, and exhibitions. Seppel and
Hilde gathered Jorge, Luis, Ruth, Lilian and off we went.
With my father it was also sports events, cattle shows, visiting battleships, maiden voyages of new ships, etc.
etc.
As mentioned before, music was very high up in my mother’s priorities. Always as an amateur she arranged
for the visit in Argentina of the first professional string quartet. She sang in choirs and assisted her good
friend conductor Fritz Bush in the first performance in Argentina of Bach’s Matthew’s Passion. She taught
(for free), played in symphony orchestras (with the professionals), arranged concerts, etc. Her childhood
friend, violinist Joseph Szigety, always said that she should have been an “impresario” like Sol Hurok.
And every week she played chamber music with her group, until, because of cataracts, she couldn’t read the
scores from a distance.
5
She attended rehearsals, dress rehearsals. Musicians, critics, requested her opinion. She belonged to several
musical societies and helped, during many years, in planning their yearly programs.
She performed alone or with her different chamber music groups in benefit concerts for Jewish and anti-Nazi
institutions.
Her autograph book was not just a collection of dedicated photos and signatures. She KNEW each and every
one of them. Richard Strauss, Zweig, Ludwig, Menachem Begin, Rubinstein, Pavlova, Jacques Thibaud,
Marian Anderson, Maurois, Kreisler, Elman, Heifetz, Menuhim, Milstein, Casals, Kleiber, Serkin, Manuel de
Falla, Honneger, l oscanini, Albert Einstein (who should have been my brother’s Godfather at his Brit, but
absent-minded Einstein forgot that he had to lecture at the University of La Plata, at that day and time and
sent a letter apologizing. He said in it that he would have preferred being Alfredo’s Godfather to giving one
more boring lecture). Weingartner, Kipnis, Merechkowski, Cranieux, Melchior and more contemporaries
like Placido Domingo.
Even when our living quarters were downgraded from the large house to the much more modest apartment,
all enjoyed coming to Seppel & Hilde’s place to chat, relax, gossip. And, as we had a 3/4 grand piano, many
of the pianists came to rehearse, privately, for hours and hours, as well as the violinists and opera singers
(driving my best friend and the undersigned, who were studying engineering then, absolutely nuts; after these
experiences nothing could distract us from studying).
My mother attended regularly the opera performances until her late eighties.
When the Amadeus Quartet made their last visit and my mother wasn’t able to attend the concert, they came
to her apartment to play for her.
My mother spoke perfect French and Spanish, and excellent English.
When Alfredo and 1 married the two Rosenbaum sisters, my parents were very, very glad. The Rosenbaums
arrived from Italy in 1939 and immediately integrated themselves in our Congregation. My father-in-law
came from a Chassidic family, a long line of Jazanim, and had great knowledge of the Jewish Lithurgy.
Seppel and Hilde became bosom friends with Ilario Echiel and Rosa. Every Friday evening when my father
closed his office he walked up to llario’s garment shop and they then walked together to the synagogue. After
Alfredo’s engagement and subsequent marriage, my father came home on Friday night and repeatedly said
that when he picked up Ilario, the “goldige” (golden) Mizi was closing the shop. Mizi was the apple in
Seppel’s eye. Well, 1 finally married her....
When my father died, Hilde serenely replaced the great void by devoting more time to each of her other
interests, and always one step ahead of the others. She traveled again. She visited cousins in Mexico, Felix
Weil in California and other finends and relatives in the East Coast.
As our own economical situation improved, we shipped her off to Europe, Israel, etc.
In Israel several of her “daughters” always showed up to greet her.
She never went back to Germany. Her German childhood and youth friends, with which she had kept contact,
came to France or Switzerland to be with her.
In 1971, at age 75, Hilde became the first woman to preach in a Synagogue in Argentina. Two Rabbis of our
Conservative congregation (Marshall T. Meyer and Mordechai Ederi), asked her to address the Congregation.
The temple was jam-packed. 1 500 Jews of all ages listened to her unforgettable words.
She was well taken care oflFby her two daughters (Mina and Mizi). She always said that she had two
daughters, married to her two sons. Plus six grandsons and already great grand children in Israel.
Money was seldom talked about at our table. We lived decently, period. There were things our “richer”
relatives had and we didn’t. OK. Such is life. There were more important things. Politics, art, behaviour,
family news, Jewish subjects, our education, WWll, Israel, books, friends, personalities, divorces, affairs,
those were the subjects of our conversations at our table. Thus, we were highly motivated to absorb
knowledge like sponges
She never had problems about our being the “poor” relatives of a hyper-rich family, and they, in turn,
respected Seppel and Hilde’s independence.
When she turned 90, and asked how she was feeling, she always said “The engine is slowing down”. God
granted her, her greatest wish; to die peacefully in her sleep, which she did May 1 S"*, 1987 (19* lyar) at age
91.
In spite of her outliving most of her friends and relatives, her funeral was also a crowded affair. She was a
unique personality, a legend in her own lifetime.
In her tombstone we also engraved a sentence of the Parsha, concerning “being fhiitfijl and multiplying the
seeds”.
6
Thus, succinctly, 1 have more or less given you a description of my parents. Just a few anecdotes and parts of
their history. They were bom when candles, kerosene lamps and then gaslights, were used, and died in the jet
age. They took everything in stride. Changing countries, languages; the changing of the material
surroundings, the technical novelties, didn’t affect their firm Jewish identity and principles. Judaism was
central..
My parents, don Jose and dona Hilde Weil (Z’L’) touched the lives of every person that got to know them.
Their light still illuminates our lives
Carlos Weil
Bom and raised in Argentina, in a very cosmopolitan home, family oriented, Jewish to the core. Since my
earliest childhood, both ray brother and the undersigned were continuously exposed to a steady stream of
visitors: friends, acquaintances, personalities, which expanded our “Weltanschauung”.
I was quite a rebellious kid. Small and skinny for my age, the youngest of the 4 male cousins (Frohmanns
and my brother Alfredo). I got spanked a lot (probably deserved it). 1 started my schooling early and, (God
knows why), skipped a grade and was promoted directly from first to third. Probably the teacher couldn’t
tolerate my presence in second grade.
1 was unruly, untidy. In the School, I was nicknamed “the flea”. My copybooks were a mess. I didn’t like to
read, much less to study. The report cards always read “untidy, could do much better”. Anyway, at the time,
for me school was a place were 1 had to go to play marbles, etc. and in between the breaks there were some
things called “classes”.
But 1 was quite independent. I learned to travel alone, all over the city, while still a small kid. During the
summer holidays, while still in the grade school, 1 used to take the train downtown, then the streetcar or bus,
and go to my father’s office where 1 was put to file all the letters, invoices, etc, that had been left unfiled on
purpose, during the last weeks. Also 1 had to carry correspondence to customers, go to pick-up the letters in
my father’s Genoral Post Office P.O.Box, which, I remember, 1 could hardly reach.
In school 1 behaved quite badly, as said above, so I got lots of “conduct marks”. Every 25 of them 1 was
punished and the punishment was having to learn by heart heaps of lines from Shakespeare’s plays. So, at
age 1 0 or 1 1 or so, when there was a family reunion at home, my father or mother used to say, “Carlos, recite
Shakespeare” for the uncles and aunts. This I did with lots of Chutzpa. Obviously, my parents never
explained that 1 had learned all that as a punishment!
We could elect soccer or rugby. I don’t know why but I elected playing rugby, in spite of my small size and
light weight. Maybe because 1 could do more misdiief In spite of my small physique I became a fierce
tackier and use to bring to earth very easily the big bullies.
We used to get together, around my mother’s piano, and sing children’ s songs and classical melodies in all
languages: German, English, French, Italian, Spanish.
We also listened to lots of vinyl records on our hand-cranked player. All sorts. Children’s songs, tangos,
operettas, classical, operas, Brazilian music. Richard Tauber was the most, Carlos Gardel (our tango-singer
idol) a close second. Then came hot Jazz, Art Tatum, Ellington, Goodman, Armstrong. No distinction: either
the music was good or not.
1 studied violin a couple of years, but quit when I started high-school. Not enough time and insufficient
talent.
My brother studied piano, and did better.
At around 1 1 or so I got quite sick. “Bronchopneumonia”. This was a serious thing at this time. No
antibiotics. The first “sulfa” drugs had just appeared. Plus lots of very big injections. I spent over one month
in bed, with fever. And another month convalescing slowly.
During this time (still living in the large house, in the Belgrano district, close to school) I had the exclusive
use of the only little Emerson radio we had, and I listened a lot to the radio, which at that time was a cultural
experience. Concerts, plays, were broadcast directly.
Also I started to read, and read, and read. 1 never stopped. When my parents came to see if I had turned off
the lights, I continued to read with torchlight under the sheets.
7
During my sickness I grew a couple of centimeters, so 1 passed from the “dwarf’ category to the “short”
category, in which I remained the rest of my life.
When I was more or less again in shape and to avoid my losing the school year, my parents engaged the
services of one of my school’s teachers, a very, very, good one, who came after school hours. He tutored me
and 1 had to submit to a special exam, taken by public school teachers, which 1 passed with flying colours.
The fact is that from this point onwards my attitude towards school changed completely. 1 developed into a
punctilious, neat, studious young fellow, but always rebellious,
ilie sickness I had, kept me out of the sporting fields for lliree years.
Our religious-Jewish ölucation was in charge of a very young and modem lady. She was the daughter of a
Viennese Rabbi, (Dr. Winter) and had quite up-to-date methods. She came once or twice a week. Again this
was considered by others an outlandish thing; all other children were taught by a boring “Religions-lehrer”.
We learned a lot and it was fim.
For my Bar Mitzvah preparation 1 selected an elderly, kind Rabbi, Dr. Theodor Fuchs, who had been the
Chief Rabbi of Chemnitz and was semi-retired. My parents thought I had made a good choice. My Parsha
was “Korach” and the Haftarah, from the book of Samuel, the “meeting at Gilgal before Saul was made
King”. Quite a Haphtarah.
Incidentally: 50 years after my Bar Mitzvah I repeated the ceremony, and last year 1 again repeated it for my
60*. anniversary.
In middle of my high school, being that the English school was expensive and that I had enough knowledge
of the English language, I followed my brother’s steps and went to a public school. The English school was a
full day thing, whereas the public school was half a day. But Saturday was also, at the time, a school day and
it was quite a rigorous schooling in my times.
Anyway, I went to school in the afternoons and did all my homework studying while listening to the radio or
doing other things at the same time. My father saw that I had too much time on my hands so he sent me to
learn Stenography in the mornings. I breezed through the courses in half the normal time, and then went to a
special course for very high-speed stenography. At the age of 15 1 was asked to become an instructor at the
Stenography school. But I didn’t have time to work there. But that was the first job offer I got.
In the “public” high-school I always was at the top of my class, but being always the one with the worst
conduct, I was never honoured to carry the flag and this type of things.
I took advantage of the boring classes to practice my stenography, which impressed the teachers greatly.
Once I had the stenography deciphered at home the lesson was learned.
Independently I studied and gave my exams, first for my “Junior Cambridge Certificate” and then, two years
later, for my “Senior Cambridge Certificate”. These examinations were taken, all over the British “Empire”
on exactly the same day, in British Schools or similar institutions. They lasted a full day. You had to sit down
on a school bench at 8 a.m. and were given a sealed envelope containing the questions on all sorts of
subjects. Math, History, Literature, Geography, etc. We had half an hour off for a short lunch and had to turn
in the papers, in the same envelope at 5:30 pm. No multiple choices. You had to elaborate on subjects,
demonstrate the theorems, solve the equations, describe the battles between Duques and Princes or the
discovery of Botany Bay.
All the exams were shipped (these were the early 1940’s) to the UK, from all over the world, to be evaluated
there and months later the local British Council armounced that the results were available at their offices. I
did pass the two levels and, in theory, I could have applied to any UK University, especially because of the
very good grades I got. But this was just at the end of WWII, and obviously scholarships were only available
for the war-veterans.
The same was the case in the U.S.A. The G.I.Bill of Rights gave the returning veterans top-priority, and
rightly so. So scholarships for Argentines were unavailable and my father didn’t have the money to pay for
my studying overseas.
So I studied Engineering here, at the University of Buenos Aires. A little out-moded but very, very tough,
especially in the basic sciences.
1 always reacted violently against injustices, bullies, Nazis. So we were involved in the anti-Nazi and pro-
Allied movements very early in our lives. Situation here was quite tough. The Catholic Church was a super-
reactionary, pro-Falangist, anti-Semitic, fascist institution, with very few honourable exceptions.
Very lately Argentina severed relations with the Axis and only a few weeks before the end of WWII declared
war, just to be able, at the very last moment, to sign on at the U.N.
8
We had in 1943 a fascist-militaristic revolution, state of siege and all popular demonstrations in favour of the
Allies were broken up violently by the police. This military Government later developed into the Peronist
dictatorship, a situation that lasted until 1956. And came back later, again.
Until a few years ago military service was compulsory; as part of the preliminary training, while in high
school, we had to learn how to shoot with rifles and hand-guns, at the local shooting ranges.
Being that my eyesight was not good I was exempted from the military service. My brother Alfredo wasn’t,
and he had to suffer the anti-Semitic officers and petty officers. It wasn’t easy. Especially when he requested,
for himself and otlier Jewish conscripts, days off for the High Holidays, Pessach, etc. As soon as they
returned to the barracks they were always put to degrading tasks.
Well, then, I was a politically active engineering student; I was part of the anti-peronist student union
“activists”, where I learned to plan and carry out “lightning demonstrations”. These were impromptu
demonstrations. A group of students and politically like-minded citizens, suddenly appeared in a down-town
comer, demonstrating against the nazi-fascist-peronist regime, throwing leaflets, carrying banners, until the
police appeared and the shooting began, and we fought back with truncheons and some guns and dispersed
quickly. Some were caught and put in jail, beaten up, etc. But we persevered. But lost.
With this experience it was no surprise that at the ripe old age of 1 8 I was put in charge of organizing the
groups of Jewish young men (most of the German-Jews in their mid or late twenties, plus some “natives”),
that had the task of custodians and eventually defending the synagogues in my district, from the anti-Semitic
groups, specially during the High-Holidays. They didn’t have a clue of what to do, so with the help of some
Gentile university students, we organized these groups. During several high-holidays 1 spent more time in the
streets, close to the temples, or checking the entrances, than attending the services and carrying side-
arms (illegally) and truncheons.
My parents knew very well what Alfredo and 1 were doing. They only said: “Do your duty”. Period.
In spite of being harassed by the police, and blacklisted by the University authorities etc. I finished my
studies “summa cum laude” (see my C.V.).
During my University years 1 put my knowledge of Stenography to good use. I took down the lectures,
especially of the new professors or new courses, and my best friend copied from the blackboard al the
drawings, graphs, etc. Then we typed and copied them and sold the copies which kept us in good pocket
money, besides becoming a welcome service. Three years later we always gave our work away to the Student
Union, to reprint for free. Also, the concentration it took to take down the lectures, type them, make the
drawings, etc, helped tremendously in our learning the subjects quite quickly and well.
The University years kept me very busy: studies, politics, etc. But we always had time to go to concerts,
movies, cinema, lectures. 1 was part of a committee in charge of cultural affairs at the Student Union, so we
organized quite a lot of events. Our Engineering Student Union was one of the few democratic ones. Big
schools like law, medicine, etc. were dominated by fascist-catholic-peronist-reactionary hoodlums.
1 also got interested in teaching; while studying I was requested to become “assistant” to professors of
subjects I had already passed. Phis I dropped in my last year at the University because, studying two different
engineering careers at the same time, I couldn’t find time to do it. I took up teaching at the University later,
again. (See my C.V.)
When I graduated and married Mizi, being that we would have had to invite again all the same fnends and
relatives, and our parents would have spent a lot of money in a repeat of Alfredo and Mina’s wedding-party,
we decided on making it a wedding luncheon and putting the rest of the money in our pockets for our
extended honey-moon. This proved to be a luckily timed decision, because shortly before our marriage the
bitch Evita died and the country went into a forced mourning. All parties were cancelled and no one got his
money back!
During the last two years in Engineering School, I headed a small committee in charge of organizing a trip to
Europe, to visit factories, engineering sites, etc. This had to be done quite surreptitiously, because the
Peronist Government was always looking for chances to sponsor these things, with the condition of
becoming a vehicle for gross Peronist propaganda in Europe. We didn’t want an)4hing to do with this, so we
kept a very low profile and we wrote to lots of European industries. Governments, etc. I went to see the
representatives of large industrial concerns, which were rebuilding their companies (this was 1952, and
Europe was just beginning to rise from the ruins).
August 1952 we embarked, with 1 7 other engineers, third class, on one of the ships that brought back
immigrants from Europe and whCTe we got the very best fares. After a few days, Mizi and 1 also got a six-
bunk cabin, all to ourselves.
9
Our 7 month trip deserves a book. Some day I may write it. Our standard of living looked like a roller
coaster. When we were invited, it was super. When we had to pay for the night, it wasn’t. Mizi and I stayed
at the official Guest Residence in Hamburg, were the previous guest had been Albert Schweitzer. At the
castle of the Schneider family at “Le Creusot”. At beautiful village inns touring the Dutch waterways. And
we also slept in an office of the Salvation Army building in Zürich (which had the only hot-water bathroom),
which we had to vacate every morning before the employees came to work!
We got to eat quite well, in spite of the 1952 situation, when we visited plants, building sites, etc. as their
guests. Mizi holds the women’s world record of climbing to the top of blast-fiirnaces.
Governments and private companies treated us very well, being that we, as recently graduated engineers,
were their future customers
During our stay in Germany, we took time off to visit Steinsflirt, Waibstadt (w^ich is when we first got into
contact with the Appenzellers) and report to the rest of the family about the reconstruction of the tombs and
mausoleum. We also went to the Heidelberg Jewish Cemetery to visit the tombs of the Kirchheimer side of
my family.
Returning from Europe 1 went to work here, and (not only because of some problems with Peron’s Gestapo)
we decided to go to the USA (see my CV) where we landed in St.Louis, as you well know.
After Peron’s downfall we returned to Argentina. (Again, please refer to my CV and letter)
We continued to be actively involved in Jewish and democratic movements.
We are founders of the first Conservative Community (Bet-El) affiliated to the Jewish Theological Seminary,
the Rabbinical Assembly, etc. Mizi and 1 served several times on the Board.
We are founders of the Latin-American Jewish Theological Seminary (modeled after the N.Y. one).
We are founders of the Tarbut School. Alfredo and Mina were very, very prominent figures there and greatly
contributed in the making of this school. Last year we celebrated the 40“*. Anniversary and we had a series of
very moving and varied special shows, with lots of music, dancing, mementos from old times, messages from
the President and Prime Minister of Israel, homages to the founders, etc. National and Provincial
Government representatives, delegations from Communities, Schools, Ecumenical Institutions, came to the
celebrations, etc. Quite an affair.
In one of the celebrations there was a piece called “ITiree Generations”. 1 performed (founding grandfather)
with my son Rafael (Tarbut pupil) and granddaughter Antonella (Tarbut pupil). It lasted about fifteen
minutes and first I referred to the dreams we all had about the need for a Jewish modem integral school, and
how we started out modestly and vigorously; and then Rafael recalled his days in the already quite well
equipped school and then Antonella referred to the present and thanked me for dreaming up this school for
her. It was great!
We also belong to other Communities (e.g. Pardes Foundation), Wizo, Charitable Jewish Kitchens, Hospital,
etc. Plus several non-Jewish welfare and charitable Institutions.
I am a founder of the Teatro Colon de Buenos Aires Foundation (a foundation that cooperates with our
world-reputed main opera theatre, and used to be member of several other musical Societies, but in the recent
years we reduced our participation in these.
During 8 years I was in charge (chairman) of the Sojnut committee in charge of collecting funds for Israel
among the Jewish owners or partners of automotive-parts manufacturers, the parts and accessories dealers
and the car dealers. I used all sorts of means and ways to extricate as much money as possible for Israel, even
resorting to black-mail if necessary (I knew quite a lot of things about some of my “customers’ “ personal life
and under-the-counter deals, a one-person CIA) to have them put up the money I believed they should give.
This procedure brought me quite a number of enemies, that hated my guts, but also more money for Israel,
which was more important. Some guys look the other way when they see me. So what!
I also performed in a few cases “other” duties for Israel . They will remain unknown and go down with me
into my grave.
Once, when we went to Israel on a private trip, we were quite surprised to see a limousine at the Ben Gurion
runway, with a guy awaiting us at the bottom of the stairs. The limo had two small Israeli flags. The driver
said we shouldn’t worry about the luggage. It was brought to the limo. We had engaged a tour-agency to pick
us up at the airport and Mizi said “What a service!”
The driver then gave us our passports, took us to the hotel (he knew which one we had reserved) and when
we arrived he said: We know that two days from now you are starting a tour with so-and-so. Until then you
are the guests of the President of Israel and he suggested a programme for the next two days. We were picked
up the next morning, and together with a Canadian couple (who, we found out, were magnates and
contributed heaps of money to Israel) we were taken to the West Bank. The driver was accompanied by a
10
bodyguard. We went to Jericho, Naplusa, Jenin, etc. We were shown the new schools Israel was building for
the Arabs, the Hospitals, the hovels in which the Palestinians were kept while under Jordanian occupation
and the better lodgings that Israel was building for them. It was quite an experience, especially when one sees
what is happening now. They should have been left to rot! The second day was a more conventional affairs
receptions, etc. We still don’t know how the Israeli Government got wind of our trip (specially being that we
came from Europe, not directly from Argentina) and if 1 deserved such an honour....
We have been to Israel quite often. When Israel came to be, my late father said that being that he wouldn’t
be alive for the “Yove!” (50*. anniversary) but 1 probably would be and in good shape, 1 should go to the
celebrations, for my and his sake. Which we did. In 1998 Mizi and 1 were part of an official delegation for
the Yovel festivities. One of the most moving moments in our life Unforgettable.
The terrorist years 1969-1973, in which the “revolutionary youth”, financed by Peron from his exile, started
to kidnap and/or murder businessmen, military, intellectuals, etc. de-stabilized any possibility of having a
working democratic system; this was followed by Peron’s return. Then we got caught in the crossfire
between the leftist Peronist terrorists, and the fascist Peronist terrorists (the old-timers). Then came a
complete chaos, after Peron finally died and his whore of third wife became President.
Then, the military took over and the terrwists were liquidated but in a very “dirty” way. The military quit in
1983 and the country never could get its act together since then.
From 1989 to 1976, every day I left for work and returned alive, was marked with a scratch on the wall. I
survived the “Montonero” and other terrorists, and later the military brutality.
During the ERP’s and Montoneros’ time some of my business friends or acquaintances were murdered. All
the foreign businessmen left the country.
The terrorists got their training and weapons from North Korea, Cuba, the Soviet Union, and the PLO.
Pictures of Mssrs. Firmenich and Obregön Cano (the two top murderers of the Montoneros) embracing
Arafat, taken at Arafat’s training camps in Lebanon, at the time, circulated all over.(As you see, things
haven’t changed a bit ). The money came from the multimillion-dollar ransoms. The terrorists had better
and more modem arms than our own armed forces.
All the bleeding-heart human rights intellectuals cried their crocodile tears for the poor guys so mistreated by
the military, afterwards. The fact is that too many of them were only jailed and later pardoned and are now
walking around freely, treading over the corpses of the people they murdered. Having been on the wrong end
of their guns, I hate to see them alive.
Yes, some were wrongly killed, the military did many many rotten, inhuman things and they were quite anti-
Semitic too, but they got rid of this pest. Otherwise we would have turned out into another Colombia, Peru,
Angola or such.
And I feel the same way today, concerning the Arab terrorists. All the terrorists are made from the same
rotten material, and they cooperate and stick together. Criminals looking for a cause. None of the members of
the ‘Svorker-liberation-movements” here came from the working class. They were all descendants of the old
rich patrician families gone broke (former Nazis or fascists) or brainwashed Marxists from the soft-sciences
schools (psychology, sociology and all this type of unsteady brains). Matter of fact, the old-type Peronist-
maffia Union bosses were part of the front line against the terrorists, which killed some of their leaders too.
Mizi was bom in Monfalcone, near Trieste, Italy. The youngest of three sisters. In 1939, because of the racial
laws, they couldn’t go to school anymore. Her father left first, called by a cousin that was living in Argentina
already. My mother-in-law liquidated the store, and then came with her three daughters. Mizi was 12 when
she arrived here.
The idea of the Rosenbaums, as was the case with many Italian Jews that came here, was to stay until the war
was over and then return. But the oldest sister became engaged and married Adolfo Weil, and then my
brother became engaged to Mina, so the idea of going back was shelved. They eventually went back, but on
visits.
One of my father-in-law’s sisters and her husband were caught by the Nazis and shot in the airport of Forli.
My father-in-law’s youngest brother was sent to an Italian concentration camp in Calabria (South of Italy)
with lots of anti-fascists and some Jews. His wife and daughter went into hiding. When the Italians
surrendered and the Germans occupied Southern Italy after the Allies invaded, the Camp commander
rounded up all the Jews, gave them civilian clothes and food and told them to get out at once, into hiding,
before the Germans arrive.
11
So my wife’s uncle survived. He later moved up to the North again where he joined the partisans. He was
reunited with his wife and daughter. He organized the first Seder for the Jewish Allied soldiers in Trieste and
Gorizia. After the war he again settled in Gorizia, had another daughter.
My wife’s maternal grandmother remained in Monfalcone all during the war. The town-authorities removed
the word “Jewish” fi-om the records and registered her as Catholic. Monfalcone, being a very, very important
shipyard city (it still is), was occupied by German troops, but Mizi’s grandmother was left alone. No one
squealed. She even had hidden in her cellar, for a time, one of my father-in-law’s cousins, who also survived.
We visited Mizi’s uncle and aunt, and cousins and second cousins, in Gorizia and Milano (Italy), several
times. Starting on our “honeymoon trip”. Two years ago, when we went last, Mizi’s aunt said, that we should
come quickly because she was feeling that it would be maybe the last time we would see her. We found that
she was in good shape, though. Anyway, shortly after we returned to Argentina, she died.
Mizi wrote a brief description of her family’s emigration to and settling in Argentina, which, together with
the stories of other (some very prominent) Italian Jews that came to Argentina, was compiled into a modest
book. At first this was an “amateurish” initiative, but the Italian Government thought it was an import^t^
cultural document so they funded, enhanced and revised it and became a book: “Tante Voce, Una Storia”
(Many Voices, One Stixy). It was presented officially in Italy. Two of Mizi’s finends, who had done most of
the work, toured several Italian cities and lectured there. Then it was “retranslated here, into Spanish and
again presented, etc.
Mizi, being one of the writers and surviving protagonists, was quite involved in all this.
Clara, Mizi’s oldest sister, was a very active and capable businesswoman. Ladies garments. “Pret-a-Porter”.
They had up to three stores plus shop. Mizi was in charge of the administration and organizing the twice-
yearly fashion shows. Clara also wrote two books. Short stories. She died in the mid 1980’s of lung-cancer (a
non-smoker!).
As for Mina, I asked her to write her own biography and Alfredo’s. I hope she does. She is very modest. She
paints, draws, has all the gifts in the world, but is very modest and always tries to keep a low profile.
In Israel, she wrote a book and sent the manuscript here, and was awarded a prize in a contest; the book was
published and printed in Argentina: “El ultimo dia” (The last day). It is semi-autobiographical, and carries
simultaneously two stories. Her own (but as the fictitious only daugliter), during the Mussolini times up to
her departure, and the story of her parents (non-fiction). Critics raved about the book. She presented the book
here and also in Israel.
CURRICULUM VITAE CARLOS A. WEIL
PERSONAL DATA
Name: Carlos Abraham Weil
Address: Sucre 1897, ISth.FIoor. (1428) Buenos Aires. Phone: 781-2152. Fax: 787-1884.
Bom: July 5, 1928.
Marital Status: one wife (Mizi Rosenbaum, since 1952), two grown-up married sons,
grandchildren.
I.D.S.: 2,024,294 Fed.Police
4,043,625 Milit. District. Buenos Aires.
GRADE AND HIGH SCHOOL
Grade School and up to 2nd. High-School year, inclusive: Buenos Aires English High School.
3rd. to 5th. High-School years in National High School n°8 Teniente General Julio A. Roca.
UNIVERSITY DEGREES AND PRIZES
Civil Engineer (Majoring in Electromechanics); graduation date 1 1/17/51. Exact, Physical and Natural
Sciences School; National University of Buenos Aires. Prize: Gold Medal. (This is the maximum prize, top
honour, and not always granted.)
12
Naval and Mechanical Engineer; graduation date; 3/28/52. Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences School,
University of Buenos Aires. Prize: Honour Diploma. (1 qualified for Gold Medal too but the University
grants only one per year, so 1 couldn't receive two.)
LANGUAGES
Good oral and written command of Spanish, English, German, French and Italian . I can fully express my
thoughts in these languages and access to any existant technical and general bibliography in them.
Knowledge of Portuguese.
PROFESSIONAL CAREER.
1 993 onwards: see accompanying letter.
1983 to 9/30/1993
President and CEO of ZUMOS ARGENTfNOS S.A.(a company owned by the
Eckes Group of Germany), Main offices in Buenos Aires and plants in the
Province of Rio Negro and since 1986 in Mendoza too.
1956-1981 Director and Industrial General Manager of FARLOC ARGENTINA
S.A.LC.y F.(WAGNER-LOCKHEED products).
1956-1981 Consultant to WAGNER ELECTRIC CORP. and general trouble-shooter at their other
Latin American partners or licensees, such as FARLOC DO BRASIL S.A., FRENOS
HIDRAULICOS DE VENEZUELA S.A., COLOMBIANA DE FRENOS S.A., FRENOS
HIDRAULICOS DE MEXICO S.A.
1955- 1956 Industrial Engineering Department, WAGNER ELECTRIC CORP. St.Louis.
Mo.USA & WAGNER BRAKE Co. in Toronto, Canada.
1953-1954 Engineer in charge of special projects in CITOGENO S.A. Arc welding
metallurgy; calculation of welded structures; aluminothermic welding;
reorganization of the industrial plant ; manufacture of new types of welding rods and electrodes;
design and construction of single-phase and three-phase arc- welding transformers and then rectifiers;etc.
1952-1953 Study and Technical Training trip to Western Europe, visiting 88 plants and
construction sites.
1952 Paid trainee at the "ASTARSA S.A."shipyard. (Tigre, Prov.of Buenos Aires)
1946-1952 Different unpaid and paid positions in work-shops, shipyards and local
industries.The paid jobs helped paying for my studies. I worked on a cargo ship that took
me to the USA and Canada, as part of my Naval & Mechanical engineering
training.
1956- Special part-time and Hill-time consultant to various national and foreign
companies established in Argentina.
TEACHING
Full Professor of "Industrial Technology" (currently "Organization of Production"), after winning an open
competition. Resolution n"75/58, Facultad Regional Buenos Aires, Universidad Tecnologica Nacional, from
April 1959 until I retired fi’om the Chair.
In my dossier (*1493) it is stated that I was Professor with Lifetime Tenure ("ad-vitam") having won the
chair in open competition, two consecutive times, at a time when the Universities were fiilly autonomous and
their Authorities were elected according to existing laws and regulations. When 1 won the contest for the
13
second (and definitive) time it was recorded in my dossier that "Ing. Carlos A. Weil brings prestige to the
Chair and honours our profession".
Member of the Advisory Board of the Facultad Regional de Buenos Aires, UTN, from 1978 until 1 retired.
Assistant to the Chair of Manufacturing Industries. School of Engineering. U.of B.A. and interim Chief of
Practical Works. 1957/8.
Assistant to the Chair of Manufacturing Industries. Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences School; University
of Buenos Aires. 1953.
Assistant to the Chair of Physics I (Ing.Galloni).Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences School; University of
Buenos Aires. 1946/49.
POST-GRADUATE COURSES
Intensive Industrial-Engineering Specialization Course. Wagner Electric Corp. StLouis. USA. Co-operative
program with the Washington University in SfLouis. 1955-1956.
Time and Motion Study and Predetermined Time Systems (MTM) Course, taught by the Methods
Engineering Council (Maynard, Stegemerten & Co.) at Wagner Electric Corp. St.Louis. USA. 1955.
Intensive Quality Control Course for Engineers, at the Washington University in St. Louis. USA, organized
by the St.Louis section of the American Society for Quality Control, in a co-operative program with several
industries in the area. Taught, among others, by Mssrs. Juran, Romig, etc.
Production Organization and Rationalization course, taught by Eng.Mr.Uans Fahlström from the UN. 's
O.I.T.at the Dept. of Industries and Economy of the Engineering School, at the University of Buenos Aires.
Participants were selected after a severe screening and exams. 1958.
Complete Course on Operations Research, taught by Eng. Mr. Isidore Marin, at the Engineering School of
the University of Buenos Aires. 1960. Participants had to fulfil quite severe pre-requisites.
Course on Production Organization, Planning and Control, at the Argentine Chamber of Corporations (today
it is the Argentine University for Business). 1960.
Dynamic Equipment Policies Seminary, taught at the St.Louis (USA) Section of the American Management
Association. 1961.
Organizational Engineering Conference organized jointly by the Industrial Technical Division of the Centro
Argentino de Ingenieros and the Engineering School of the University of Buenos Aires. 1962.
"Introduction to Digital Computers" taught by an IBM team at the Centro Argentino de Ingenieros. 1962.
"Digital Computer Programming", taught by Eng. Mr.Reggini and others, at the National Ministry for
Defense, Scientific Investigation and Experimentation Board of the Armed Forces. 1963.
Seminary on "New Advances in Operations Research Applied to Business", taught by Dr. Mr. de Vedia and
others. N.M.of D., S.I.and E.B.of the A.F. 1963.
Organizational Engineering Conference organized jointly by the Industrial Technical Division of the Centro
Argentino de Ingenieros and the Engineering School of the University of Buenos Aires. 1963.
Seminary on Graphes( Network) Theory.(Eng. Mr.Bemasconi and others). At the N.M.of D., S.I. and E.B. of
the A.F. 1963.
14
"Cost Control and Reduction" course, taught by Dr.Mr. Wüllens-Hart from the U.N.'s O.I.T., at the Centro
para la Productividad de la Argentina (C.P.A.). 1965.
Complete Course on "PERT and Potential Methods of Project Planning". Taught by Dr.Mr.Diharce. N.M.of
D., S.I.and E.B.of the A.F.1965.
"Numeric and Algebraic Calculations and Computation" . Dr.Mrs.Campi. National Technological University.
1967.
"Higher Management Controls and Budgetary Controls". CIME and Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia
Industrial.(Ministry of Economy). 1967.
"Industrial Costs".Taught by Ing.Mr.Panellatti. Sociedad Argentina de Organizaciön Industrial. 1967.
"Economic and Financial Evaluation of Investment Projects". Taught by Ing.Mr.Casa. SADOl. 1967.
"Accounting for Engineers and Technicians".Ing.Mr.Panellatti. SADOl. 1967.
"Production Planning Course and Seminar". SADOl. 1968.
"Diagnosis of Industrial Companies". CIME-lNTl, Ministry of Economy. 1969.
"Seminary for Higher Management Executives". IBM. 1969.
Seminary and Workshop: "Diagnosis on the Development of Organizational Effectiveness - Reddin's 3D
Theory". Ing.J.Chapiro and Associates. 1968.
Seminary and Workshop on "Managerial Effectiveness". Taught by Managerial Effectiveness
Ltd. (Reddin) and Chapiro and Associates. 1971.
"Management Decisions Game". IBM and Direccion General Impositiva (Department of Internal Revenue).
1971.
"Evolution of Investment Programs". Centro Argentino de Ingenieros. 1971.
"Cash-Flow and Cash-Flow Planning". Management Center de la Argentina. 1972.
"Linear Programming & Markov Chains applied to Business". CIME-INTI. 1972.
Seminary on "Development of Export Programs for Non-Traditional Products". PROMEX. Ministry of
Economy. 1993.
“Management by Means of Critical Path Programming”. Taught by Eng. Mr. Gustavo M. Murmis at the
Council of Professional Engineers. 1995.
“Flexible Production and Competitivity”.Universidad Tecnologica Nacional, Uniön Industrial Argentina,
Argentine Association for Automation, Centro Argentino de Ingenieros and sponsored by the Italian
Embassy.
I have obviously left out all the seminars, courses, trainings and such, specifically pertaining to my day-to-
day work, that ranged from setting-up 6 spindle Acme Gridley Screw Machines, to designing cams,to
stamping and drawing dies,to rubber compounding and moulding,to designing cutting tools for machining
special aluminum alloys, to production through manufacturing cells,to Quality Assurance, to dynamics of
vehicles during braking, to formulating brake-fluids for special requirements, to a comprehensive training
course in manufacturing fiiiit juice concentrates at the Eckes Institute in Nieder-Olm (Germany), to
organizing tasting panels, to comparing enzyme effectivenesses,to a symposium on Ultrafiltration
15
(Switzerland),to running Bucher presses more productively and with higher yields, to determining the
optimum thermodynamic working conditions for Unipektin evaporators, to the use of bubbling and flotation
for clarifying and fining apple juice concentrates (Trento, Italy),to Word 5. 1 and Excel and Filemaker Pro, to
certifying for ISO 9000, to TPM, Kan-Ban, car-steering dynamics, etc. etc. etc.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Full member of the "Society of Automotive Engineers" (SAE) since 1960.
Academical Member of the "Sociedad Argentina de Organizaciön Industrial’XSADOI).
Member of the "Centro Argentino de Ingenieros" since 1956.
Board-Member (elected) of the "C.A.I." 1971/73 period.This institution has around 12,000 members.
Director of the Processed Apple Institute (USA) from 1990 to 1993. This Institute exists since several
decades and carries great weight in the world of industrial apple-processors. I was the first non-
Northamerican to be elected to the Board.
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVmES
Lectures on "Quality Control" at the School of Engineering, National University of Buenos Aires. Chair of
"Manufacturing Industries". 1957/58.
Lecture at the "St.Louis Foreign Commerce Society". 1961.
Administrative Director, Lecturer, Moderator and Panelist at the "Intemational Conference of Organizational
Engineering". 1963.
Member of the Standards Committee and main writer of following IRAM official standards;
11001 Hydraulic brake hose 3.2 mm diameter and fittings.
1 1005 Hydraulic brake hose 4.8 and 6.4 mm diameters and fittings.
1 1009 Sampling and test methods of automotive-vehicle hydraulic brake fluids.
11012 Heavy Duty automotive- vehicle hydraulic brake fluid.
11013 Super Heavy Duty automotive- vehicle hydraulic brake fluid. 190 Grade.
1 1014 Super Heavy Duty automotive-vehicle hydraulic brake fluid.230 Grade.
13100 Test methods for automotive- vehicle hydraulic brake cylinder rubber cups,
moderate duty and heavy duty.
13101 Moderate duty automotive- vehicle hydraulic brake cups.
13102 Heavy duty automotive-vehicle hydraulic brake cups.
Member of the Standards Committee and main writer of following standards of the Technical Studies
Committee of the Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CETIA-ADEFA).
CETIA 6A1 Rubber brake-cups for hydraulic brake cylinders of automotive vehicles.
CETLA 6E 1 Flexible hydraulic brake hoses for automotive vehicles.
CETIA 6H1 Automotive vehicle hydraulic brake fluid.SampIing and test methods.
CETIA 6H2 Brake fluid for automotive vehicle hydraulic brakes. Grade 150.
CETIA 6H3 Brake fluid for automotive vehicle hydraulic brakes. Grade 190.
CETIA 6H4 Brake fluid for automotive vehicle hydraulic brakes. Grade 230.
CETIA 6E1 Grey cast iron for master and wheel cylinders for automotive- vehicle
hydraulic brake systems.
Author of "Contribution to the study of industrial costs; Assessment of industrial equipment of national
origin ".UTN-FRB A. Chair of "Industrial Technology". 1968.
Author of "Introduction to the metallurgy of alloys" UTN-FRBA. Chair of "Industrial Technology" 1973/74.
16
Attended several congresses, seminars, symposiums and exhibitions organized by the Society of Automotive
Engineers (USA) and others, in different countries of the Northern Hemisphere (USA, Canada, Western
Europe, Israel.)
Reports to and attendance to several Symposiums & Conventions of the Processed Apple Institute (PAI,
USA) and the National Juice Products Association (NJPA, USA).
Lecturer at the World Congress of Food Technology , September 12 1984, in Buenos Aires.
Lecturer at the World Congress of the International Fruit-Juice Union in Sao Paulo, Brasil, November 1991.
This Congress convenes every three years. It was the first time the l.F.U.called on an Argentine to give a
lecture at one of their World Congresses, which was attended by about seven hundred persons from over
thirty countries. An enlarged version of the disertation was published in the annals of the IFU Congress, and
a still more complete version was published in the issue 4/93 of "Flüssiges Obst (Liquid fiaiit) ' probably the
most important and influential magazine in the fi-uit-juice world.
Besides, I have written as a fi-ee-lance contributor, articles in newspapers and magazines, such as "The years
we lived dangerously","Drugs hidden in foods", etc.
Macintosh HD;Applications-Prograinas;Word:Curr.Vit.:CV English
On August 23rd of this year, our very dear Jose Weil left us forever.
Jose Weil was one of the founding members of our Association. When the ^Hilfsverein deutschsprechender
Juden^, the predecessor of the ^Asociacion Filantropica Israelita^ was founded in April 1933, he belonged to
the very small circle that, seeing what was happening in Germany, called on others to cooperate and actively
help. He was President during the first years, until being replaced in this position by his brother.
It was only a small circle of old-time residents in Argentina that formed this group. Many of them lived
within the German colony and were completely untouched concerning Judaism, until the tragedy of what was
happening shook them up.
This was certainly not the case of Jose Weil. He and his family's attitude were positively Jewish. Not only
during his youth in his homeland, but also in Buenos Aires, he was closely bound to the Synagogue, and
obviously committed as he was to the Jewish-social duties, he devoted himself to setting-up our institution.
Especially during the first years, in which our Association began to take form, his action was fundamental in
the making of its basis and the guiding of it in the right directions.
Also after his departure from the Board, he remained very strongly attached to our work. Especially worthy
was his interest in the development of the ^Adolfo Hirsch^ home*, and we could greet him often in all our
official events there.
We extend our sympathy to all the Weil family and very especially to Mrs. Hilde Weil, to whom we have to
thank greatly for her very positive cooperation with our work througliout all these years.
^Filantropia^ n°367. October 1964.
* This is the retirement home, probably the best one, unique, in Argentina.
17
Alfredo Weil
I would like to introduce myself: 1 am Mina Weil nee Rosenbaum, the widow of Alfredo, sister of Carlos’
wife Mizi. To make it easier for you: Two Rosenbaum sisters married to the two Weil brothers of Buenos
Aires. I was bom in the North of Italy in 1926. Due to Mussolini’s anti-Semitic law we left Italy and arrived
in Buenos Aires on January 1939.
But it is not my intention to write about my side of the family; the idea here, as 1 understand, is to talk about
Alfredo Weil and the family we were so lucky and blessed to raise together.
Alfredo and 1 met at a farewell lunch on July 9"' 1 945; he was 20 years old and a student of Chemistry at the
Buenos Aires University. I was 19 years old and worked as an assistant accountant and secretary at a very
well known English company.
That July 9“* was the beginning of a beautiful and long-lasting friendship, five years later we married.
After his graduation, Alfredo had to do his military service. Due to the Argentine Army poor economical
situation (Peron’s regime) he was discharged after 8 months.
What can 1 tell you about Alfredo Leopoldo Weil? That he was an exceptional human being, honest, and
generous, very much involved, since his early days, in the affairs of the Jewish Community.
Going back to 1944, when Hitler was trying to erase the Jewish race from the face of the earth, the nineteen
years old Alfredo wrote articles for a weekly Jewish magazine (La Semana Israelita). On Shavuot (May 16,
1944) he wrote: “One year ago, in Varsovia, our Jewish brothers fell defending the Ten Commandments
which are the base of liberty, of Judaism, and of democracy. Today is Shavuot, the festivity of the harvest
and of the Law. There (in Europe) Jews are suffering and bleeding to death; and here, immersed in richness
and abundance our young people deter themselves from Judaism and its principles. Don’t you hear the cries
for help of our brothers from the other side of the ocean? Don’t you feel their pain? Can’t you see the danger
that lies in ambush for all of us? The time has come for you to wake up, to join forces, the time has come to
be united, to be Jews!”
This is cmly en example of his writings.
Alfredo was an active member of several Jewish Organizations. The “Jüdische Kultur Gesellschaft and the
‘’’’Nueva Comunidad Israelita^, whose members were originally from Germany. He belonged with his parents
and brother to the Congregacion Israelita de la Republica Argentina, “Jewish Congregation of the Argentine
Republic”.
He tried with some friends to convince young people that the time had come to leave the indifference and
indecision in which they were living and focus on the suffering of our people, to Join forces and try to find
the way to help them. And that was the beginning of the Consejo Juvenil Hebreo “Hebrew Juvenile Council”
that brought together young people from all parts of Buenos Aires.
He was a rugby player, and a good one, he played at the top league as a prop forward for the Belgrano
Athletic Rugby Club. His sporting days accounted for his broken nose that added to his good look. He loved
music, preferring concerts to operas but most of all he loved Jazz. He even participated in radio jazz
programs.
Alfredo was inmensely carismatic and you could feel his presence when he entered a room. His voice had
that unique “Weil tone” that all his sons share. He was an eloquent speaker and a great debater.
On a shiny autumn day, to be precise on April 16, 1950, we were married at the Synagogue of Libertad
Street, which belonged to the Congregacion Israelita de la R.A.
A few months later he was sent by his employers to New York to study about detergents and try to develop
new formulas. Detergents were just starting to appear and Alfredo became a specialist, perhaps the first in
Argentina.
I joined him a few months later. We lived in Manhattan for one fantastic year. To write about the N.York of
5 1 , requires a special chapter that doesn’t belong here.
I will only say that our stay in New York helped us to grow, to mature not only professionally but spiritually
as well.
Our first son Ruben was bom in Buenos Aires on March 2, 1952.
Daniel followed on September 7, 1953 and Gabriel on February 1, 1955.
In only three years, we became the proud parents of three beautiful boys.
18
Alfredo was a member of the Board of Directors of the Congregacion Israelita and was involved in the
creation of the Congregacion Bet El, we both were.
We lived in Olivos, in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. We were several Jewish couples with small children
attending private English schools. We got together for the Jewish festivities, assisted to Bet El or Lamroth
Hakol synagogues for Shabat services, but something was missing and we knew what it was: a Jewish
school for our children. What at first was only an idea, an utopic dream, sprouted, and at the beginning of
1961 a group of parents founded the '"Asociacion Judeo Argentina de Cultura y Educacion" and on March
1961 the TARBUT school was inaugurated in a very small house with 80 pupils. We had a kindergarten, a
preparatory class and a first grade. Only Gabriel, who that year was starting his first grade could go to
Tarbut. On the next year (1962) we had 330 pupils, and as more grades were opened, Ruben and Daniel
could assist too. When the first group of children finished the elementary school, TARBUT started the
secondary school.
In 1962 our son Miguel, Miguelito for everybody was bom.
On that same year Alfredo left his work as a chemist and started a new activity in Commodities Brokerage.
His specialty in the grain field was argentine peanuts.
But his best achievements were his four sons, he was very proud of them, a dedicated father who was always
there for them. He used to say that TARBUT was our fifth child. It was not an easy task to create a trilingual
Jewish school (Spanish, Hebrew, English) it was hard and constant work but füll of satisfactions. Alfredo
was: Secretary of the Board of Directors, several times president, vice president; since the beginning he was
part of the pedagogical committee. During almost 20 years since the inauguration of the school he went every
morning to Tarbut, and worked together with the Director for several hours. Later on he acted as a
consultant. To day the Tarbut School has more than one thousand pupils and is recognized as one of the top
schools in Argentina. He was an idealist, we both were. It was important to give our children a good and
solid education, to form men and women of knowledge, able to apply that knowledge wisely, capable of
solving contlictive situations, integrated to the country and to the Jewish People. Alfredo’s goal and mine
was Israel, but for many reasons, our alia was postponed until late 80s.
In 1987 the visionary Alfredo decided to move to London, work there for two or three years and then move
to Israel.
Our sons Ruben and Miguel were already in Israel, Daniel in London, Gabriel witli his family in Buenos
Aires. I will tell about their lives at the end of my narrative.
In London, we opened a brokerage office, specializing in grains.
But unfortunately an inoperable brain tumor took him away from us on May 6,1989.
It was on a Shabat, Rosh Chodesh lar = Zadik. On his tomb it is engraved, (in Hebrew): “A good name is of
more esteem than riches, and a good reputation more than silver or gold” (Proverbs 22).
I turned our dream into reality, he was buried in Tel Aviv, and I made alia. In a way, we did our alia together.
I live in Tel Aviv. I am active in a literary group and a volunteer at the Beit Hatefuzot (Museum of the
Diaspora.) I am a member of the English Speaking Friends of the Tel Aviv University and of the Spanish
Speaking Friends as well.
I am a Reiky practitioner. I wrote a book “£/ ultimo dia" (The last day), an account of my last three years in
Fascist Italy, that was awarded a Mencion de Honor (Honorary Mention) in the '^'’Concurso de novela de
Acervo Cultural Editores. ”
As I told before, Alfredo loved his children deeply and was very proud of them, of their humanity, their
modesty and their achievements as family men and professionally.
I will start with Ruben:
He was only 23 years old when he got his degree as a doctor at the Buenos Aires University of Medicine. In
1976 he left for Israel and has been living there since.
He is married to Shelly Melzer, a lawyer.
They have four children: Or 19, doing now his military duty at the IDF, Shir 1 7, is a student at the Lady
Davies High School in Tel Aviv and a madrichah of the Israel Scout Movement. Dana 12, will start next
September her first High School year she belongs and to the Israel Scout Movement. Tal 6, will start, next
September her first grade.
Ruben is a senior surgeon at the Department of Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Campus Hasharon, Petach
Tiqva, affiliated to the Tel Aviv University. Publishes papers in Medical Journals, is the actual Treasurer of
the Israel Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery and is very active in medical research and education at the
Tel Aviv University.
Daniel
19
He is married to Sarah Fleminger, solicitor, they live in London. They were married in June 24, 1982.
They have three children: Anna 17, Rebecca 15, and Benjamin (Ben) 8.
Anna attended Simon Marks Jewish Primary School, currently she is at South Hampstead School for Girls
where she is doing A levels and planning to go to University to study Medicine.
Rebecca attended Simon Marks Jewish Primary School and currenty she is at South Hampstead School for
Girls doing her GCSE’s.
Ben is at Highgate School.
Daniel got his degree in Architecture at the Buenos Aires University, in 1981 got a Master degree at the
Royal College of Art, London. He was Unit Master at the Diploma School of the Architectural Association
and professor of Industrial Design at the Royal College of Art, where he is currently visiting professor,
external examiner and Senior Fellow. He is a partner of Pentagram Design Company in London, with offices
in N.York, San Francisco and Austin. He has worked for clients such as Swatch, Boots, Duracel, Supa-ga,
Pantone, United Airlines etc. His designs are in the permanent collections of the New York Museum of
Modem Art, at the Philadelphia Museum, Victoria and Albert Hall Museum, Israel Museum of Jerusalem
and others. He is cited in most of the Industrial Design literature.
Gabriel
He lives with his family in Buenos Aires, Argentina, has been married for 20 years to Claudia Gielfand, who
is studying Psychology at the University and will, probably, get her degree at the end of this year. They have
four children:
Sheila 19, is studying Educational Sciences at the Buenos Aires University, and is the head of the School of
Madrichim belonging to the Bet El Synagogue. Maia is 1 8 years old and has started now her Medical studies
at the Buenos Aires University, she works as a madrichah at Bet El and is learning Chazanut at the
Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano (Latin Rabbinical Seminary.) Dalila 13, has started her first year of the
Secondary School, she loves painting and each Saturday afternoon assists to Bet El’s teenager groups.
Tomas is 7 years old, loves sports and PC games.
Gabriel got his Medical degree at the Buenos Aires University in 1979. At the same time he studied at the
Rabbinical Seminary,but he decided not to get de Semichah. During ten years he was in charge of the Or-El
Community and conducted religious ceremonies there. For the last 16 years he has been conducting Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur services at the Nueva Comunidad Israelita of Montevideo, Uruguay. He works in
the Medical Management of HSBC Salud, one of the biggest Argentine HMO’s that belongs to the HSBC
group, he is, at present, the corporate Clients Manager. In the evenings he is at his own clinic as a Primary
Care Physician. Till 1996 Claudia and Gabriel were active members of the Board at the Colegio TARBUT.
Miguel
He is married to Dalit Razin, a ballet teacher, a graduate of the Rubin Academy of Music, Jemsalem
University. They have three boys: Nir, 1 1 years old who likes to draw and assits to a Comics class, Ron is
almost 5, and Oren 4 months old.
Miguel started Biology studies at the Buenos Aires University and since 1983 has been living in Israel.
Miguel completed his B.Sc. at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he also achieved his M.Sc. and his
Ph.D., he did Post Doctoral studies in Developmental Biology at University College London. Since 1998 is
an assistant professor of the Faculty of Life Sciences at the Tel Aviv University and the head of his own
laboratory, specialized in developmental neurobiology. Several of his papers have been published in the most
prestigious Scientific Journals.
20
Henry Mosbacher
By Judy Mosbacher
I've known Henry Mosbacher for over thirty years, but it was not until June 1989 that I learned for the first
time the life story of the cherub-faced, roly -poly pixie that almost everyone in the family calls Opi, the
German versicMi of gramps. That was when my husband Gerson, in an attempt to better understand his own
identity, wrote a letter querying his father about his past. He asked several probing questions that spanned
the years from Henry’s childhood and the death of his father to his escape from nazi-occupied Germany and
his metamorphosis into the quintessential American success story.
Until the day I pulled from our mailbox the bulging envelope that carried his fifteen-page handwritten
response, I had always thought of my father-in-law as a bit of a character. Other than our shared connection
through my marriage to his son, I saw him primarily as a 5'5" light-hearted schmoozer devoted to his family,
Jewish tradition, and baseball. Our relationship was cordial, but his past life was as foreign to me as his
accent, still prominent after more than forty years away from his native Germany.
English is Opi's second language, so although what he wrote was fascinating, how he wrote it was seriously
in need of editing. 1 decided to transcribe the letter onto our computer, correcting his spelling and grammar
as 1 went along. The longer I typed, the more fascinated I became with the time line of his story. In many
respects, he owed his life to good timing. More than once, a matter of a days or weeks made the difference
between his continuing journey and an unspeakable death.
His letter drew back the obscure curtain of his past and revealed a tale of survival, determination and more
than a bit of luck. It also introduced me to an incredibly resiliait human being that not only survived, but
also seemingly thrived on life-altering challenges. It was then, that he became a man who warranted my
respect and admiration. It is not that his accomplishments were unique to those who dared leave their
homeland in order to escape the horrors of the Holocaust. It was, rather, that the fates allowed him to
persevere while so many others did not. When we, his family gather in Chicago to rejoice at his eightieth
birthday party on May 6, 2000, we will be celebrating not only his longevity, but also his indomitable spirit.
Yet, there is nothing like the power of the spoken word to convey both an event and the accompanying
emotion. In November 1 997, Henry was one of hundreds selected to participate in a Steven Spielberg
documentary on holocaust survivors. A member of the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation
interviewed him on video. Once again he told his story, as the interviewer guided him through the years
leading up to the nazis' rise to power, all the way through Heinz Mosbacher's transformation into an
American called Henry. His interview was not used in the completed documentary, but a copy is now
ensconced in every family member's video collection.
Henry’s written and oral chronicle of his life tells the saga of a family who refused to throw up their hands in
defeat and accept the inevitable. Before his father’s death when he was only ten, Heinz led an uncomplicated
and predicable life. He told the interviewer, "1 played soccer. We called it fusbol. I went to school. I played
with friends. I did all the things that kids did."
In his letter to Gerson, he wrote about his father. "When 1 was ten years, my parents sent me to camp in Bad
Durrheim, located in the Black Forest. When I returned home, I found out that my dear father, Gerson, had
been taken to a hospital in Frankfurt. Within two weeks, he was dead. I was told he died from some type of
illness that he had originally contracted when he was in the Army, in France, during World War 1. I was too
young to really understand the impact of that tragedy and remember only that my dear mother raised me."
His mother, Elena, was a dress designer and employed several girls in her dressmaking business. One of
them was a young apprentice named Alice. She and Heinz became the best of friends. By the time he was
thirteen, it was becoming clear to his mother and to the rest of the Jewish community in Darmsstadt, that
nothing would ever be predictable again. That was the year, 1933, when the Nazis came to power, and
everything changed, forever.
21
In his letter, he described one of the unforgettable memories of his youth. It was just before the election in
which the Nazis would declare victory. Heinz was on his way to his bar mitzvah lesson when he saw a group
of prominent Jewish men, including one of his parents' best friends, being forced by storm troupers to wash
down the walls of buildings that carried anti-nazi election propaganda. 1 tried to imagine my reaction if I had
witnessed such humiliation. It would have been as his was -I would have cried. Within weeks, he was to
stand before his congregation, read from the torah, and following tradition, he became a man. What must his
thoughts have been? 1 could see him there, in my mind's eye. Cowering in fear, he could see nothing but
years of persecution and humiliation ahead.
He said, "1 had no father, the Nazis were in power and my closest relative. Uncle Julius, would not attend my
bar mitzvah service in our synagogue. We belonged to a liberal congregation and because Uncle Julius was
an orthodox Jew, he chose not to participate." As he spoke these words to the interviewer, Henry simply
shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, "Well, what can you do?" In the days of Hitler's reign, a fatherless boy,
with a tenuous future, was not an unusual circumstance.
Within two years of the election, Jewish children were no longer allowed to attend public schools or belong
to clubs. Heinz's childhood friends became strangers. Hitler's systematic plan to isolate the Jewish
population had begun. Many were willing to compensate for their exclusion by creating their own social
structure. In response to the interviewer's question about how the children coped, he explained, "Because
young Jewish people were no longer allowed to participate in general activities, we started our own sports
clubs and youth groups. We had our own dance classes where Alice, and I and many of our friends
participated. Many of them were eventually killed by the Nazis." He studied, played soccer, and danced
with his girlfriend. Life went on.
The Mosbacher family had begun a systematic plan on their own. Elena's broth, Max, was a true visionary.
A successful executive with a leather tannery manufacturing business. Max had already moved to Holland
and obtained citizenship in Argentina where he went annually to purchase hides. He saw the need to prepare
for the time when his relatives must flee Germany. He advised Heinz to leave school at age 1 5 to learn a
trade. With his influence. Uncle Max found his nephew a job with a well-known German furniture
manufacturing plant. So began my father-in-law's exposure to cabinet -making, a trade that would serve him
well through the challenging years ahead.
Elena and her brother had just begun to work their magic. Three years later in 1938, Max sensed that it was
time to make their move. Because adult males were the main targets of harassment. Max knew it was
imperative for Heinz and his cousin Kurt, to leave the country. He arranged, through legal means, for the two
cousins to travel by train to Wieringen, Holland, on the North Sea. There three to four hundred other young
German and Austrian, at a resettlement camp, joined them. Many had dreams of going on to Palestine to live
and work as farmers on collective settlements, known as Kibbutzim. The two boys left Darmstadt just three
weeks before Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass), a night of terror for Jews throughout Germany and
Austria, when the organized destruction of homes, shops and synagogues signaled the beginning of the mass
shipping of Jews to forced-labor camps.
He took very little with him to Holland - a few pieces of clothing and the equivalent of $5.00 in cash. He
reflected back to that time. "It was pretty tough. Young people today - they cannot even understand what
was happening to us at that time. You just leave your parents. You do not know if you will ever see each
other again. We were lucky enough to get out of Germany. It was the main thing at the time. You knew it
saved your life." Again, the video showed him shrugging his shoulders. 1 could understand his seemingly
nonchalant attitude. After all, those events occurred sixty years ago. Yet, at age seventy-eight, he had
amazing recall. I sensed that each event; each memory was indelibly etched in his mind. It took little effort
to summon them up for they were always there, just below the surface.
"My mother told me later that they came to the houses to pick me up." He told the interviewer, " 1 would
have gone to the camps that night if 1 had not left when I did." It was only the first of several times that
Heinz tempted fate. There would be others.
22
Heinz and Kurt spent not quite two years at the camp, birthing calves, feeding chickens, tending the land,
even playing soccer. Henry wrote that it was at all an unpleasant existence, but they knew it was only meant
to be a stopping-off point. Again, Max went to work. He arranged for the boys to fly from Amsterdam to
Geneva, Switzerland to meet up with Elena and Kurt's father, who had fled Germany a few months before.
They had obtained a visa from the Cuban consulate to travel by ship to Cuba. He explained, "We later
learned that the ship which sailed before ours never got to Cuba. It was turned away and returned to
Germany. Most of the passengers ended up in concentration camps and perished. The entire deal was a big
swindle for all of us who had paid a good amount of money for the visas, but once again, our luck held."
Max was not the only one to help Heinz and Kurt. Elena’s cousin, a recent immigrant to the US, arranged for
an affidavit allowing the boys to come to America. We left Rotterdam on the second to the last ship, the SS
Veendam, just before the Nazis invaded Holland. Many at the resettlement camp did not get out in time.
Their dreams died in the concentration camps." The trip took almost three weeks to complete, as the ship
zigzagged through the Atlantic, trying to evade U-boats and land mines. Heinz and Kurt had managed to
avoid the death camps three times, but World War II was raging. Their survival was still far from
guaranteed. However, survive, they did, on the shores of New Jersey in March 1940. Within days of his
arrival, Heinz found work as a cabinetmaker’s assistant in Shalomon Brothers Cabinet shop at forty cents an
hour. In his letter, he wrote, "within four weeks, I was given a 50% pay increase (highly unusual at that
time) to sixty cent an hour. The owner had noticed that I had been trained in this field and that 1 understood
the art of cabinet making. Both the owner and his foreman were Hungarians, so there was a definite language
barrier to overcome!"
How I wish I could have known Uncle Max Spiess. His wisdom and vision gave his nephew not only the
means to keep living, but to grow and prosper as well. Unfortunately, Kurt never heeded Uncle Max’s
advice, so he was relegated to work on a chicken farm. The meagCT pay and hard tabor made it easy for him
to bid farewell to his cousin and move to Chicago to be near other aunts and uncles.
So Heinz became Henry, and his second life began. Eventually, he joined Kurt in Chicago in the early part
of 1942. He continued his craft, working his way up from cabinetmaker to Butler Specialty Company to
Plant Manager of Playskool manufacturing, one the largest toy makers in the country. He went to night
school to learn English; He studied to become an American citizen; he married Alice, his mother’s young
apprentice, who had also immigrated first to England, that to the States in 1940. Fortunately for me, he also
found time to father three sons, the eldest of whom just happened to attend the same high school as 1 did.
Elena managed to survive, as did Kurt’s parents, eventually settling in Chicago after living many years in
Uruguay. Even Alice’s brother and parents succeeded in making the voyage from their homeland to
America. However, no German Jewish families remained unscathed. The interviewer asked if he kept in
touch with those Jews who never left Darmstadt. His voice was subdued as he answered. "All my aunts and
uncles on my father’s side died in the camps. I don’t know anyone who stayed behind and survived.
Yet, no where in his chronicle does my father-in-law tell whatever happened to Uncle Max, to whom we all
owe so much. 1 would like to believe that he lived a full, rich life, secure in the knowledge that he was
victorious in his own private war against the Nazis.
At the end of his interview, Henry was asked if he had any messages for his family. He simply said, "To my
children, live a good and long life. May you never have to go through what I did, but teach it to your
children and grandchildren, and above all, never forget!"
Perseverance, resilience, courage - Praiseworthy descriptions usually reserved for heroes and champions. To
me, these words also apply to a man who stepped away from his past and returned to his homeland after
thirty years. In 1969, Henry and Alice traveled to Frankfurt during Gerson’s military tour of duty in
Frankfurt. What could have driven him to reconnect with his difficult past? Of course, he missed his son
and daughter-in-law, but his main motivation was far more compelling. Henry wanted to visit his father’s
grave.
Our little Fiat was not designed to hold four people, so I volunteered to stay at home. Gerson later related the
touching scene at the cemetery, but what happened next was to be the catalyst that brought Henry s life full
circle. They had driven to the old neighborhood and found a bakery once owned by the family of a
childhood friend -one of many who was allowed no further contact with Jews after the Nazi takeover. The
23
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bakery had remained in the family. The current owner was that old friend. Gerson told of the tears, the hugs,
and the hours of reminiscing that followed. Soon, others learned of Henry's arrival and joined the reunion -
elderly men and women crowing around little tables, trying to catch up on all they had missed. For those few
hours, the years of hatred and fear were left behind. Henry was home again.
Years late, a German writer who was compiling a book about Holocaust survivors from Darmstadt contacted
Henry. He wanted to know Henry’s story. My father-in law knew what to do. He sent a copy of the letter he
had written to his son; the one I had edited. The letter was then translated into German and included in the
completed manuscript, entitled A Second Life.
Whether we control our fate or fate controls us is a subject of never-ending debate. For Henry Mosbacher, I
believe it has been a little of both. To me, he is far more than a light-hearted, friendly man who fills his life
with Judaism, family and friends, sports, opera and travel. He is truly a man of substance.
July Mosbacher 5/3/00
I was bom in Mannheim, Baden-Germany on August 1 7‘^ 1 926. My parents were Otto Natan Neuberger and
Ida Neuberger nee’ Spiess. I had a sister named Lore, bom on December 27* 1921. My father was bom in
Korb- Sennfeld, Baden, Germany, where his family lived for many generations. My father was a
businessman and we were an “upper middle-class” family that had a cook and a maid at home. My mother
was bom in Haehnlein, Germany. She was the youngest daughter of Gabriel and Babette Spiess-Weil, (my
grandmother Babette was a sister of Dr.Hermann Weil).
As a child, 1 went to a Jewish kindergarten, after that I went to a regular German school and two
years later, I attended the new Jewish school where the headmaster, Mr Berthold Stahl, was my
mother’s distant relative. I went to this school, until October 1939, whai 1 made Aliyah to Eretz
Israel. This was two months after I celebrated my Bar-Mitzva that was on August 26*, which was
five days before the Second World War broke out.
On Febmary 24* 1933, my mother died in a Sanatorium, Switzerland. She died from a blood clot
that unfortunately spread to her heart. She was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Zwingenberg-
Alsbach-Haehnlein, Germany. My father remarried in 1935 to a woman named Hilde Koch. She
was the daughter of a Banker from Frankfurt, Julius Koch. During those days, I was active in the
Jewish Sports Club in Mannheim. Two years after my father remarried, my father had a stroke and
became paralyzed. After spoiding a number of weeks at the hospital, my father came home but he
was unable to walk or to write.
On November 8* 1938, “Cristal Night”, Nazi soldiers broke into our house and caused serious
damage to our paintings, Meissen-Porzelan and other belongings. The Nazi soldiCTS did not arrest
my father due to his health conditions. Due to my father’s physical disability, he could not travel to
Palestine. Instead, he stayed in Mannheim until 1942 when he was taken to Theresienstadt. It is
uncertain whether my father died in the concentration camp on March 8* or 9* 1943. My
Stepmother Hilde and her father Julius were taken to Guts in France and they died either there or in
some other concentration camp.
24
On October 22"*^ 1939, my sister. Lore, and I moved to Palestine, we left on the last ship trom
Triest. This was before Italy entered the war. My cousin, Kaete Hirschberg, daughter of Jenny Katz-
Spiess, picked us up fi'om the port in Haifa, Palestine. Lore and I lived with Kaete and Aunt Jenny
Katz in Ramataim, now known as “Hod-Hasharon”. 1 went to school in the Achad Haam
Gymnasium in Petach-Tikvah. After my cousin Martin and Lore joined the British Army, I helped
my Uncle Levi Katz in his Sausage Factory and Butchershop. Lore served her military in the
Western Desert and that was where she met and fell in love with an English Journalist from
Manchester (he was a Goy). Lore later got married to him. While Lore served in the military, she
became sick and caught Tubercolosis. She was hospitalized at the Augusta-Victoria Hospital on
Mount Scopus in Jerusalem. Later she moved to Manchester, England but her health deteriorated
and my uncle, Willy Neuberger from Paris, hospitalized her in Ctevos, Switzerland. Lore died there
on May SO* 1949 and was buried in the Jewish Cemetery in Davos.
When I was 1 5 years old, 1 joined the “Hagana Force” and served in the “Jewish Settlement Special
Police”. In 1947, 1 joined the “Palmach”. There 1 passed a Group Commander Training Course and
joined the Negev-Brigade of the Palmach. 1 served in the Negev and accompanied convoys from the
Negev to Tel-Aviv. We passed by many Arabs and British soldiers who were trying to catch us with
our (few) arms. I continued to serve in the army as an Intelligence Officer of the Negev until 1953.
During that time there was an American volunteer at our unit named Jessy, a Texan, who during our
tours in the Negev desert, said, “the Negev is the place to grow cattle and horses”. My superior
officer, Chagai Ueberall-Avriel and 1 liked the idea and thought that after leaving the army we could
have a farm there. Chagai’s brother was Ehud Avriel, Ben Gurions assistant, so we asked him to
speak with Ben Gurion and get his consent for this plan. Ben Gurion liked the idea, but said it must
be in the form of a “Kibbutz”. Chagai agreed to this term, went ahead, and established a Kibbutz
called, “Sde Boker” with some of our friends and soldiers. 1 was already engaged to Lea, she did not
want to live in a kibbutz, so we did not join
this kibbutz after all. Sde Boker was where Ben Gurion lived after his resignation from Parliament
and he and his wife, Paula, were buried there.
From 1953 1 was the Israeli Delegate to the Mixed Armistice Commission with Egypt until the Sinai
War broke out. 1 arranged the surrender of the Egyptian Army in the Gazastrip with the United
Nations officers. This was published in the London Sundays Times and my name was mentioned in
the article. One of my relatives was in London at the time and sent me the article. After the Sinai
War, in September 1957, 1 left the Army.
Lea and I got married on the January 12*, 1955 and our son, Jehonathan (Nati), was bom a year
later on January 22”** 1956. We lived in Beer Sheva. Lea was bom on October 6* 1929 in Jerusalem.
Her mother. Else Bilski nee’ Fischer came from Hamburg in 1924, by request of Dr.Walach, who
established the famous “Shaare-Zedek” Hospital in Jemsalem and she was one of the first nurses to
work in that hospital. Lea’s father, Chaim Bilski, came from Breslau in 1924, and both he and Else
were part of the founders of the religious settlement “Kfar Abraham”, now a part of Petach-Tikvah.
In October 1957, I started to work in Beer Sheva as the Administrative Manager of the Southern-
branch of RASSCO, Rural and Suburban Settlement Company, belonging to the Jewish Agency.
On December 28* 1957, our daughter, Michal (Micki) was bom.. On April 9* 1963 our daughter,
Ruth (Ruti) was bom.
In April 1964, 1 was requested by the Prime Minister’s Office to go to our Mission that later became
the Israeli Embassy in Germany, as an Advisor. 1 took leave from Rassco and my family and I
moved to Cologne, Goinany, where the Mission was.. We lived there until March 1967, when
Rassco asked me to return. Our children went to the British Forces School in Cologne and Nati, was
even introduced to the Queen, when she visited the school.
Back in Israel we sold our house in Beer Sheva and bought a house in Neve-Rassco in Ramat
Hasharon.
25
Since the Six-Day War was coming up, I was called to reserve duty. After the war the manager of
Rassco asked me to go to Iran where Rassco together with an Iranian Partner, had a very big project.
As a result, 1 became Manager of Rassco- Builders and my family and I moved to Teheran. We
stayed in Teheran until the summer of 1974. Our children went to the Israeli School there and later
to the International High School. Lea worked at the Jewish Agency Office.
During that period, we build the Iranian Telecommunication center in Teheran, at that time the
biggest building in the Middle East. We also built the Intercontinental Hotel in Telieran, the
Helicopter Factory in Isfahan, thousands of housing units for the Ministry of housing. The largest
project included three very large bases for the Iranian Navy in Bandar Abbas, Bandar Busher, and
the Island Kharg, which included port facilities, housing, schools, mosques, and clubs etc. In 1974,
we decided to return home, since our son Nati had to join the Israeli Army and we did not want him
to be alone in Israel. 1 continued to work in the Management of Rassco. In the summer of 1977,
Rassco left the Partnership in Iran. And the Iranian partner (a cousin of the Shah) asked me to return
to Teheran to manage the firm that had construction projects (Navy and Housing etc.) worth over
600 Million $. I went alone to Iran and Lea stayed with the family in Israel. During this time, I flew
back home every month and stayed home for a week each time. A year later, when the problems
with Chumeini started, I sent all the families of the Israeli employees (about 60 families) back to
Israel. The employees and 1 remained there for a while longer. I left Iran with the last ‘El- AI plane
on January 1^ 1979.
Back in Israel 1 was asked to go on another “Shlichuf ’ mission for the government to the Israeli
Embassy in Brussels. We lived there three years. Lea worked as a Hebrew teacher in the Jewish
School and our youngest daughter Ruthy graduated from the Jewish High School of Brussels. After
two years, Ruthy returned to Israel to join the army for two years. She served as the secretary of the
7“* Brigade Commander in the Golan.
Before we moved back to Israel in 1979, our daughter, Micky married Jonatan Almog and our son
Nati married Ruthy Reiss .
We returned from Belgium in summer 1982 and I continued to work for the Prime Minister’s Office
until my retirement at the age of 65 in September 1991. I have continued to work there on a
voluntary basis until this day.
Ruthy got married on April 2"**, 1988 to Yair Rivlin.
Today, Lea and I volunteer for the Israeli Cancer Association.
We have nine grandchildren, three from our son, Nati, three from our daughter, Micky, and three
from our daughter Ruthy.
Ramat Hasharon, February 2002
26
Margot Spiess Jacobi
Margot's parents were Moses (Max) Spiess, (son of Gabriel Spiess and
Babette Weil Spiess) - and Berta Rosenfeld
They had two daughters Hanna Spiess , and Margot Spiess born on December 24th. 1923. Both in Frankfurt
A.M.
Due to the political situation in Germany, the family moved to Basle, Switzerland end of 1935.
In 1939, they moved to Tilburg in Holland due to their father’s activity. World War II broke out in
September 1939 and in December 1939 we left via Ambers (Belgium) by boat for Argentina where our father
Max had many relatives. Our father did not work anymore in Buenos Aires. 1, Margot, studied languages
and nursing in Buenos Aires and became a qualified nurse specialized as an assistant to surgeons.
I got married in Buenos Aires on March 23. 1947 to Heinz Jacobi who was bom in Stuttgart
(Germany) on October 1. 1922. His parents were Herman Jacobi and Dora Straus Jacobi.
Margot's and Heinz's children Pedro Roberto were bom on January 1, 1950 and Andres Miguel was bom on
September 16, 1952 in Buenos Aires. In April 1966 due to Heinz's activity, the four of us moved to Sao
Paulo (Brazil). The boys first went to school and then to College. Pedro studied Sociology and Economy and
then went to Harvard to get his Masters in City and Urban Planning. Andres studied Engineering and then got
his Masters in Business Administration in Sao Paulo. Andres married Claudia Blaskowski on February 22.
1976, they had a son Tomas bom on January 1st. 1977. They got divorced a few years later. He married Olga
Hak in Sao Paulo on August 19th. 1989. They have a daughter called Rebekah bom on September 19th. 1992.
They live since October 1989 in Libertyville, Illinois. Tomas also lives in the US where he went to school,
high school, and College. He studied Computer Science and lives in Chicago.
Pedro married Rosa Moyses and they have a daughter called Marina bom on October 19, 1980 in Sao Paulo.
They are also divorced, but are not re-married. Marina went to school and high school in Sao Paulo, and is
now studying Photography. Pedro made his PHD in Sao Paulo and is a Professor at USP, the University of
Sao Paulo.
Best regards,
Margot & Enrique.
27
Anna Hess
Grandmother of Madelaine Soiess Linden
This letter was sent to a friend Mrs. Ahrenberg, self understood to be forwarded to Anna’s daughter Martha
Meyer in Buenos Aires, in 43 there was no more mail from Germany over the Atlantic anymore and Anna
was clever to send it to her friend in Stockholm. It was her last of over 1 50 letters, die was taken to
Thereseinstadt and died there in September. She was 89.
Letter no. 1 63
June 8, 1943
From: Anna Hess
Hamburg 13
Benekestr. 6
To: Marlene Arensberg
Stockholm Benergatan 42
Dear Mrs Aren burg.
My Dearest Martchen,
In great haste I want you to know that we are finally going on the big planned journey and I am partly glad
that it is finally taking place, as one is out of the constant doubt if we would travel or not. Once the trip is
overcome, all will be all right and I the hope that I will maybe see Rudolf and Liesschen again give me
strength to get over these hard times. What has to be has to be, and what so many are able to do, I also want
to be able to. So please do not worry about me.
The biggest pain to bear and what I miss most, is that we have not heard from each other for so long, but I
live on the hope that we will soon hear from each other, and God willing, only good things.
My wishes and prayers are constantly with you and the Hesses and I pray for your well being and future and I
surround you with affection from far away with true and profound love.
Regards to you, dear Mrs. Arenburg, and to all your dear family, to whom I wish all the best.
Yours, Anna Hess
28
Brief Nr. 1638. Juni 1943
Abs. Hess Hamburg
13 Benekestr. 6
Erapf. Marlene Arensberg
Stockholm Benergatan 42
Liebe Frau Arensberg
Mein Liebes Martchen!
In größter Eile möchte ich Ihnen mitteilen, daß wir heute nun doch die große lang geplante Reise antreten
und bin ich einestheils ganz froh, daß es nun so weit ist und man aus dem ewigen Bange ob man reisen
würde oder nicht, heraus kommt. Wenn die lange Reise erst überstand ist, wird schon alles gut werden und
die Hoffriung, daß ich vielleicht Rudolf und auch Lieschen wieder sehe, gibt mir Muth und Kraft alles diese
Schwere zu über winden. Was sein muss, muss sein und was so Viele können, will ich auch können. Also
seid meinetwegen ganz ohne Sorge. Der grösste Schmerz und Entbehrung ist der, dass wir so lang nichts von
einander hören aber ich lasse auch hierin die Hoffriung nicht sinken, dass wir doch noch mal und bald von
einander hören und dann so Gott will viel Gutes. Meine Wünsche und Gebete sind beständig bei Euch und
Hessens und ich bete für Euer aller Wohlergehen und Vorwärtskommen und umgebe Euch aus weiter Fern
mit treuer inniger Liebe. Grüsse Sie, liebe Frau Arensberg, Ihre ganz liebe Familie, denen ich Allen das Beste
wünsche
Ihre Anna Hess
Another Letter written to her daughter Martha (Madelaine Linden’s Grandmother)
Brief Nr. 140
Hamburg
Benekestraße Nr. 66.
Mai 1943
My dearest Muckchen, my beloved childrai,
How happy and glad I was as on Monday the 3rd as your- Ernst and Vera - so expected letter from March 4th
arrived, and I am thankful for the good news. I told myself again and again, how God blessed I am, among
the thousands who anxiously await news of their loved ones, to be one the chosen to receive a sign of life
from my beloved and I thank God, even good and reassuring news. What immense luck that you are all
together, united and going on strong, you cannot thank God enough, and even if it is hard, I can better bare
my poor dear Rudolph’s diffrcult destiny, as there isn’t and should not be anything complete (absolute?) in
the world.
Therefore, Ella is doubly to be pitied, as she is alone with her worries and sorrow about her husband and son,
father and sister and no equivalent happy news.
I wanted to immediately write back in my happy euphoria but we have had some rather restless days, as
many went on a big journey. I probably wasn’t among them, as I am still weak from influenza, and it didn’t
anger me, as at my old age, I long for tranquillity. Unfortunately, the “now-time” has not done much for that.
That is why your letter, dear Ernst and Vera, was such a ray of sun in my life. You are all well of health, you
have work and see success, and you, dear Muckchen, are in your element: you refurbished a room! How I
would like to know how it looks. And I hope I will be granted the luck still that another of your letters comes
through so I can find out. I was happy that still a part of my letters did reach you, so that my constant writing
to you wasn’t for anything. Even if in many of the letters, I made a fool of myself.
In fact, 1 cannot tell you much news. Life here at the home goes its way, here or at the trench. The main thing is that
we are under the good direction of Mr. and Mrs. Gottschalk and on top, that I am together with Miss Löwy, who is
like a sister to me. Richard and Iris come every week. They have a lot with their family. Use could also hardly
recuperate. It was a very diffrcult birth and a very big and strong child. Yesterday she came home from the clinic.
These days, Schwester Erna visited me again and as a delicatesse she brought me a “Rundstück” (a little white round
29
bread) with butter. Also Walter Schiiler came by once. Neither from Jane nor Tante Liesschen there has ever been
sings of life again. Yesterday, Iris visited me and told me she is off to Berlin to Fifi’s daughter’s wedding. She is
marrying a captain. Apart from this, 1 have no news, and will therefore end here in hope, to receive a letter from you,
dear Muckchen, and send you all my deepest regards and hug you and kiss you, my darling, deeply in motherly love
Your Old Faithful mother
Notes: Anna Hess’s last residence, after having first lived in her apartment, then having to leave and go to a
pension, then having been sort of hidden by “Schwester Erna” in an apartment in Hamburg, was then
denounced a Jew and was put in one of the few Jewish homes. The home was then closed and the remaining
people were lodged in another place before being taken to Theresienstadt.
Her turn would come in June.
Muckchen - Martha - was her daughter, (my grandmother), who had gone to Argentina with the entire family
Meyer.
Rudolf was her son, who managed to get along through Europe until dying short after the war in Belgium -
his name Rudolf Hess must have been of help at times. Ella was his wife.
Ernst was the other son, married to Vera, who went to Argentina after a time in Holland.
Richard was her nephew. Iris his Arian English wife. Use is one of their daughters.
WaltCT Schiiler another nephew, Jane a cousin (also deported to Theresienstadt a couple of days before) and
Tante Liesschen was Anna’s beloved sister in Hannover.
All of Anna’s letters have this pattern of “I have no news” but you read between the lines. Only very few of
her letters have blackened censure parts. She knew what she was doing and the fact that she repeats what
Muckchen wrote, gives a good picture of what was going on -on both sides of the Atlantic! Also, they are full
of her love for good food, in this time, a delicatessen was a piece of bread with butter...
Anne Goetter Kaiser Ancestor Babette and Fanny Goetter
Dear Lillian,
I was delighted to receive your e-mail message. Like you I know very little about our joint ancestors, tlie
GOETTER family and the little I know I have learned only during the last five years and believe me, there is
a great deal 1 do not know. I was bom in and grew up in Mannheim, Germany, the oldest daughter of Dr
Alfred WOLFF, a gynecologist and obstetrician and Paula bom GOETTER. In 1939, my parents sent me
with a Kindertransport to England, where eventually i studied nursing.
My parents and maternal grandmother were deported to Camp de Guts in Southern France in October 1940,
where my father was volunteer physician in charge of the camp women’s hospital. Fortunately, my family
already had visas for USA, when they were deported and eventually, after some hair raising adventures were
able to reach USA, where I joined them in 1947.
My mother must have been have been a third cousin of your father. Max WEIL. My great grandfather Moses
GOETTER (1820 - 1916) was a butcher and cattle trader in Ehrstadt. Ehrstadt is and was a small village
about two miles from Grombach, where your great grandmother Fannie was bom. Grombach, Steinsflirt, and
Ehrstadt are all near Sinsheim. Your great great grandparents were Israel GOETTER (1798 - ?) and Fanni
BAER (1803 - ? Israel and Fanni had at least eight children. Israel like his father was a butcher and cattle
trader. Israel's father, Loeb GOETTER was bom in 1753 and died in Grombach in 1826. He and his wife
Friedel are our common ancestors. In 1 808 when Jews in Baden were ordered, by the state, to register
permanent family names, Loeb registered the family name GOETTER. This is the only Jewish GOETTER
family I have come across; however, among non-Jews, along the Neckar River, the GOETTER family name
is common.
Going back to your great Grandmother Faruiy’s family, her younger brother Josef GOETTER (1834
Rombach and died 1901 Montgomery. Alabama USA) emigrated to USA circa 1850, at the age of 15. Josef
served in Confederate Army and later established a flourishing department store n Montgomery, Alabama.
Enough for tonight. I am looking forward to hearing more about your life and that of your ancestors
Sincerely, Ann
k.U
30
Translated from German by Gabi Neuberger
PREFACE
As from spring 1969, my German postbox started unexpectedly to fill up. From America arrived one letter
after the other, addressed to the ^Inheritance-Estate-Manager^ of Felix Weil. The contents were almost always
the same: -’I am an American Doctoral student. My subject is the (Elnstitute for Social Science of the
Frankfurt University'. Where can I look into the papers of the Estate?^.
I went with the papers to my lawyer. He said: * A newspaper computer removed you from this world by
putting a cross behind your name. That happens all the time. When a computer puts something in its head, it
is very hard to tell him otherwise^.
At first I replied to the letters. (E.g. Martin Jay, Berkeley). But after that they became too many, so 1 decided
to write my Life Story myself I imagined that it would be easier, but it is very hard, since the writer is
writing about himself and since some of the documents needed to prove some points, disappeared under the
firebombs.
My founding, at 24 years of age, of the ^Institut für Sozial forsch ung^ was the result of a mixture of the social,
political and cultural bad situation in Germany. Although I disliked education in authoritarian schools, when
it concerned me, 1 believe since my youth in a real education that should not show the way back to the past
but, instead, should open the way to the future.
Opponents would appear soon, but what could they do against the logic thinking of Karl Marx that all the
time was more and more accepted by lots of Germans?
1 was 24 years old then. 1 had inherited from a dear person, my mother, a sum of money. 1 thought, to which
better purpose can 1 apply such a present than to use it for the Education in the spirit of Socialism ?S. and so it
happened.
Of course 1 paid for my beliefs - the building and establishment of the Institute for Social Research and later
for other subjects of my interest — the total of my inherited capital. But the meaning of it was, that 1 could
not afTord any more the luxury trips and so on, but that I did not mind, since I had no time for them now and I
had now an objective, ft seemed to me that it was a worthy one and today 1 can say that it was.
The book is mainly about this.
Felix Weil
FORWORD
This is the first biography that I write. Difficult, since the writer writes about himself. Even more so, since it
is about times and happenings about which it would be better to keep quiet. It needs courage to tell
everything as it was.
1 have a crazy story to tell. Sometimes it is not reasonable. I already hear questions, how I know about this or
that. Authorities and others, who tell that they were present, had different interpretations. So what is my
objective?
Here is the first real question: What is my objective? Do 1 believe that I do myself a favor in bringing to light
all my stupidities and wrong decisions?
My reply is: I want to tell the truth before it is too late. I do not need the technical help of a ghostwriter, since
I master the techniques myself. I don't want to show it easier than it was. It was difficult and as seen today
the results of so-called (Egood deeds' are sometimes unbearable. The conscience moves: the Advocatus
Diaboli has an awful memory, but so it was.
Reader, I thank you for your courage. To be put on the cross is the destiny of the people. But others,
including me, do it to themselves. Long lives the Truth!
Felix Weil
31
Translator's notes: numbers (1), (2), etc, please refer ton endnotes. C.A. W.
My father, Hermann Weil, came from Steinsfiirt near Sinsheim on the Elsenz.
It was a little town in the Grand Dukedom State of Baden. With a railway station and a (ELatein'-Highschool.
My mother came from Mannheim.
Steinsfiirt is till today an unimportant little village. It had at the time of my father's birth only 1391
inhabitants. But it had in the past played an important role in the history of Pmssia. A reminder of it is the
plate on the house ^Zum Lerchennest^ The plate says: ^Here Friedrich the Great was saved for the fatherland
on his flight on the 3rd -4th August 1730.^
Of course he was not at that time ^The Great^ but the young Crown Prince, tyrannized by his father. And it
was in Steinsfiirt that his father, the ^Prussian Soldier- King^ Friedrich Wilhelm, together with his
companions, due to the heat, slept overnight in bams. The king came from a visit to his daughter, the
CEMarkgraefm', in Ansbach and was on his way to Mannheim.
Friedrich decided to escape to his relatives on his mother's side, in England. At 4 o'clock in the morning and
not in his usual Prussian Officer's uniform, but in French civil clothing, he tried to escape. But the King's
companions, asked by the King to keep an eye on Friedrich, caught him and brought him before the king.
The king jailed him and forced Friedrich to attend the trial and execution of his friend. Lieutenant Katte, who
had helped him when he tried to escape.
If Friedrich would have had succeeded in escaping, he would have resigned as Crown prince and would
never have become the^ Great King^.
My father went to the Latin-school in Sinsheim. But he could not continue until the ^Einjaehriger^ exam, and
he was his whole life sorry about that. He liked to tell about the school clock with the Latin inscription ^Mors
Certa, Hora Incerta^ which means: ^Death is sure, but the time of it is noE. But the students translated it to
^It is dead sure that the clock is wrong^.
At the age of 1 5, his father, a not very rich farmer and cattle dealer, took him from the school and placed him
as an apprentice in the Wheat-dealing-firm of Isidor Weismann & Co in Mannheim. My father advanced
there very fast, he must have been some kind of a genius.
He told me once that his fast advance was due to his suppressed rush for initiative. He explained that with an
anecdote *At Weismann's were 2 apprentices, he himself and another, Paul. But he earned twice the money
that Paul earned and Paul was angry. So one day Paul complained to the boss. He wants the same pay like
Hermann since he is just as hardworking as Hermann is. Instead of an answer, the boss said, ^Paul, just now 3
farmers passed in front of us with full loads; go and see what they have loaded^. Paul ran very fast after the
farmers and returned in a couple of minutes. Paul said: ^They had loads of wheat^. The boss told him: ^Now
go and check if they sold the wheat and to whom^.
Paul returned and said: ^The wheat is not sold yeE. Then the boss called my father and said to him: ^
Hermann, just now 3 farmers passed by with füll loads, go and see what they have loaded^. About 1 5 minutes
passed before my father returned and reported: * They are loaded with wheat, good bread-wheat, here is a
sample. They have not sold it yet; they intend to go to Mueller & Co. to sell it there. Since I knew that the
Wheat-Exchange opened today with 3 Taler and 4 Groschen for a Zentner, I offered them 3 Taler and 3.1/2
Groschen. They accepted it and are unloading it in our courtyard.*
So the boss said to Paul,* Now you can see why 1 pay to Hermann twice of what 1 pay you*.
At the age of 18 my father was already a CEProkuri^2(0 and in love with one of the 4 beautiful daughters of
the boss, Rosa. But he did not want to stay in Mannheim; he wanted to go abroad. My father was the
youngest of nine children(2) and three of his older brothers, Gustav, Samuel and Ferdinand had emigrated
long ago to the U.S.A(3); Gustav had emigrated even before my father was bom and he never met Gustav.
The 3 brothers had a general store in Montgomery, Ala. and made good money. But my father wanted to go
32
to Argentina, since it seemed to him that there were better chances for the wheat - business
At that time the wheat-trading firm Mosco Z. Danon in Antwerp was looking for someone to manage their
branch in Buenos Aires. So my father, in 1888, at the age of 20, left his trade-teacher Weissman and went to
Antwerp where he was immediately accepted. Danon knew about him as the youngest and best CEProkurist'
in the German wheat trading. Furthermore, 4 nights a week during one year had studied Spanish and spoke
Spanish fluently.
After half a year with Danon as a CEProkurist' ^o get accustomed^ my father left for Argentina. But before
that he got engaged to Rosa and promised her that he would come back to fetch her as soon as the Danon
branch became active and worked well. He never forgot his first voyage by ship. The sea was quiet, the moon
hang on the horizon and fi'om the land, which was still far away, came the first smell of the South American
plants. ^These are bananas, young man^, said a fellow traveller, who came on board in Lisbon. ^Wait and
tomorrow morning you can smell fresh coffee^ .My father told me that often when 1 was a young boy. ^Do
you know how well-off you are?".
My father was a man, who despite his commercial genius was not lacking in fantasy. He never forgot his first
view of an ^Argentine wheat field. From Steinsfurt he knew only small wheat fields, which due to inheritance-
division, became smaller and smaller.
In Argentina he saw for the first time kilometers-long wheat fields. The ears of wheat stood upright like the
soldiers of the soldier-king of Prussia. The Argentine escort of my father understood the enthusiasm of the
young German: ^ Hermann^ he said, ^his is our army, the ears of wheat here, and with them we fighP.
My father could have started his career and progressed in any country. He missed his bride miss you so
much^ he wrote to her, H am happy for the day when 1 can show you all this. I am sure that you are going to
love it^. If she hadn't shown me this letter, I would never have thought that my CEwheat-king' father could
write that.
In October 1896 the marriage in Mannheim took place. Rosa's parents insisted on a Jewish wedding after the
civil marriage. And my father, the Atheist, was so in love and impatient, that he agreed and as he later told
me ^ I didn't pay any attention, 1 only looked at my girl and hoped that our first child would be a boy^.
On February 8th 1898 1 was bom in Buenos Aires. Therefore a citizen of the strict Catholic country. The
registrar who was told that my name should be (EFelix Jose', added by himself, as usual, the name of the
CESaint of the day', which at this day was (ELucio'. My mother was yet too weak to accompany us. In her
place came our Indian wet nurse and cook. Again my father had to attend a ceremtmy and again his feeling of
happiness helped him to overcome it. He told me later that *Juana, your wet-nurse, wore her Sunday- dress
made of lace. She had a very large bosom, since she had to feed you and your milk-brother, Antonio. She
wore her earrings and between her bosoms swung her golden cross. She held you in her brown arms and
when the registrar insisted, she lifted the fine lace-blanket from Germany, so that everybody could see that
you were a healthy and real boy. She was so proud, when the priest stood next to the registrar - she and
myself shed some tears at the same time. A pity your mother could not have been there. I was so excited that
I did not hear a word of the ceremony or whatever it was. You know that very early I became an Atheist, but
a man has a first-borne male only once^
Since I was not registered as a Protestant or Jew, or any other non-catholic religion, they held me in
Argentina as a Catholic. That I never went to a church made no difference, since half the population of
Argentine didn't go either.
This was during a time in which Argentina was politically independent, but economically a part of the
English colonial empire. Like all the colonial countries, they were exploited by the motherland. From that
time is the anecdote, that the Prince of Wales, in a discussion about the future of the British Empire, said: ’ I
am, within myself, prepared that one day the Empire will lose India and we can't avoid it, but I tell you
frankly: Argoitina we will never give up freely^.
33
This colonial exploitation could be seen in that all the railways - with a smalt exception, of those that
belonged to the French - were property of English capitals and managed only by British. For a long time even
the station managers were British, they knew very little Spanish and saw no reason to learn to speak better.
For a long time they had translators who gave the Argentines the needed instructions. The railway network
was not a real network, but like the spokes of a wheel that connected the places from the interior of the
country only with the ports. To get from one place to another, perhaps only 50 km. away, but served by
another railway line, or to send merchandise from one to the other, one had to travel hundreds of kilometers
to the port and from there, back again, on another line for again hundreds of kilometers.
But mainly you could see the English colonial domination in the fact, that the Import and Export duties were
fixed in such a way, that the export of Argentine wheat and meat abroad favored the import of British
machinery. Semi-handcrafting enterprises, like the famous leather-goods works in Cordoba, were permitted,
since they used only machinery imported from England. But an Argentine machinery production could not be
established, since the import duties for the raw material needed to make them were higher than the price of
the finished product.
Only during the First World War did the Argentines understand the situation, when they saw how events
outside the country affected the economy of their country. The German submarine war, in which my father
had played certain part, caused a lot of exports to become victims of the sea. Also for what arrived, due to the
high demand prices rose continuously, and there were no exports, from the British industries, available for
Argentina since they were fully occupied with the production of war material.
Due to the pressure of the needs for manufactured goods, at that time, in Argentina the trend towards
industrialization started. In 1944, under the dictatorship of Peron, it became the political core.
This trend was accompanied by the establishment of a local nationalism, mainly among students, which as
would later be seen in all Latin America, was not because of fear of communism, but because of the hate
against foreign capitalism and their local straw men and favorites, which acted as fig leaves for the foreign
capital and was only another step towards the hate of capital and capitalists.
When my mother came to Argentina, Buenos Aires was still a quiet, not very congested city with large green
areas. There were few multi-storied buildings, most of them office buildings in the center of the town. Very
few apartments for rent. There was no automobile traffic, only horse carriages and horse-drawn tramways. It
was a town in which young, beautiful society women, always chaperoned by a friend or maid, dared to go
out. Molesting a woman carried a 100 Pesos fine or 2 days jail.
All this my father explained to his young wife. He wanted her to learn Spanish, but all the lessons came to
nothing. ^ She trusted her natural b^uty^, my father told me, ^ she only needed to smile, and whatever she
wanted was done^.
But once it was different. She asked the carriage driver to wait for her beside a street closed for carriages, and
alone she went along the pedestrian mall wath the world-famous shops. Mannheim was far awayS. She was
Sefiora Weil. Thinking about her husband and little son, she smiled ^out into the world^ she explained later.
A good-looking man spoke to her, in Spanish. She did not understand a word, but continued to smile in a
friendly way. The man offered her his ami. She pushed him back. Under sudden pressure, she stopped a
crossing carriage and the molester wanted to enter with her. She remembered the fine for molesting women
and wanted to shout to him with the little Spanish she knew, *Do you want to pay 100 Pesos?^, but what she
said came out like this: *Do you agree with the price of 100 Pesos?^. The man answered her with enthusiasm:
’Your beauty is worth it and much more^. Only after she remembered the Spanish word for TielpP and
screamed it loudly, the carriage-driver looked back and hit the man with his and started driving, with my
mother crying in the backseat. After that she never went alone into the town.
One month after my birth, my father founded his own firm, the grain-export company ’Weil Hermanns and
Cia.^ which means, the Brothers Weil & Co. The partners were my father with 50%, his brothers Samuel and
Ferdinand, each with 20%. The two brothers had sold their share in the General Store in Montgomery to their
brother Gustav, each for u$s 20.000. and came to Buenos Aires. The ’company^ with a 10% partnership, was
34
a friend of my father from his apprentice years, from Vienna(4). (The 50:20:20: 10 proportion was also kept
when later on the company became a Shareholding Company and 5% of the capital was acquired by two
CEProkurists' that had been working in the company for a long time).
When my father founded his own company, he was not disloyal to Danon. Their branch in Buenos Aires
under my father brought them huge earnings, from which my father got 20%. But Danon was a wild
speculator and he got caught trying to comer the wheat of the whole world, which means - to buy and to keep
it away from the market so the price would go up very much, but his speculation failed and Danon went
bankrupt in 1 898.
My father bought from the bankruptcy the office equipment and furniture and took over the rent contract for
the office of Danon's branch in Buenos Aires. To save mcmey, he used the backside of the old Danon shield
and had the name of his new firm engraved there, and placed the big brass shield at the entrance. This we
found out only as we moved to the new office and apartment. Our offices and apartments were like steps in
the upwards move of our standard-of-life and my father's successS..no, he did not intend it, it was just a
result of the growth of his firm.
To be successful in the grain dealing, you need a sixth sense for the development of the market, to recognize
the possibilities. My father had this and also an amazing memory for statistics. He had no inclination or talent
towards assuming risks, which were over what was suitable for his firm. That was the lesson he learned from
the bankruptcy of Danon.
Another reason for the success of the company was an invention of my father. It could not be registered as a
patent and was copied by all the grain-dealing firms and it resulted in grain sales not being based on taking
samples but based instead on a guaranteed specified gravity of the product(5). This allowed Argentine grain
dealing finally to be able to compete with America and Canada.
At that time and at least till 1930, when Weil Hermanns ceased it's activity, in Argentina silos, few of them,
stood only at the terminal stations of the railways in the ports. Defining the characteristics of a certain lot of
wheat was therefore impossible. During the loading of a ship, mostly done in bags directly from the railroad
cars, every couple of minutes a sample had to be taken; these samples were put into a special envelope and
sent abroad on a fast passenger-ship. And based on these samples, the quotations, sent by telegram, were
made.
The different grain types were internationally recognized. When the wheat was sold and delivered, the silo
was opened at the bottom and the exact quantity of grain, of this type, was shipped.
At that time and at least till 1930, when Weil Hermanns ceased it's activity, in Argentina, silos were standing
only at the terminal stations of the railways in the ports. Defining the characteristics of a certain lot of wheat
was therefore impossible. During the loading of a ship, every couple of minutes a sample had to be taken;
these samples were put into a special envelope and sent abroad on a fast passenger-ship. And these samples
the quotations, sent by telegram, were based.
The setback was, that you could deal only for a series of restricted quantities of grain, at one time, instead of
dealing for a much larger quantity of a definite type.
Here is where my father's invention solved this problem. He offered wheat with a definite specific gravity.
Wheat weighing 78kg per 100 liter was the standard type for the basic price. If the wheat specific gravity was
over 78kg. you got more flour. So it was worth more. Under 78kg it was worth less. Furthermore a
guarantied maximum percentage of foreign bodies, stones, dust, etc. were guaranteed. With these parameters
a large quantity of homogeneous wheat could be described as precisely as like with the statement ^Manitoba
1 ^ etc.
The Argentine grain export moved with this method from (Eretail', many small lots sales, to large-volume
op>erations. Weil Hermanos was soon and remained till 1930, the leading Argentine grain dealing firm, fhere
were two larger and more heavily capitalized firms; one was Dutch and the other French(6). But both were
35
branches of world concerns, which were dealing also in many goods other than grains. One was mainly
active in the Belgian Congo and the other in the French colonies.
But Weil Hermanns was the most important firm with sole Argentine capital. The profits came in; things
were easy since the three great competitors handled over 85% of the Argentine ^ain trade. Argentina did not
have yet any anti-trust laws. Therefore it was easy for the three big firms to manipulate the export market.
Concerning prices, they did not compete, but by phone they agreed on the prices with which to go to the
market. If there was ever a^ conspiracy in restraint of trade^, here it was (Epar excellence'. Tliis the American
anti-trust laws wouldn't have allowed. No wonder that the profits were growing.
Beside other ^ lucrative habits^, the company made profits, of course, and very seldom losses, from their
normal export activities. With that and opening of the grain-flitures and commodity market it seems that my
father had a very lucky hand. Perhaps it was connected to his very happy family life: my mother gave him a
daughter, my only sister; 1 went to the Argentine school. For all this, my father thanked his young wife with
beautiful jewelry, which he himself shopped for and which gave her natural beauty an Argentine background.
But she never learned Spanish and my father had to go alone to the receptions of the Argentine society. The
Argentines appreciate female beauty and they understood why my father h-ought along his young wife only
very seldom to the most important evenings and meetings: ^ TTte man is hiding his Jewels^ they Joked.
For my little sister and myself it was sadder. We had an English governess, but she never embraced us and
her old-spinster body did not invite us to cuddle. We wanted to be with our mother, but we got to see her
only once a day, at the teatime. We were lead in, looked at and soon, with a smile, sent back. Mt has to be so^,
said our English governess: ^Children are there for the parents, but the parents not for the children^.
1, at least, had a friend, my milk brother Antonio; his father was our carriage driver and his mother our cook.
My father loved his work, or to work in general, but he also enjoyed the free time and this he found on the
^estancia^ (estate). ^Can you believe it?^ asked my mother, ^all this is yours^. We children went on horseback,
my father stood next to his great stallion, my sister held her pony by the leash and 1 jumped on the mare,
Matilde. Antonio's father was riding behind us children. 1 turned to wink to my mother, when 1 saw my
father bowing over mother's easy chair and from on top of the horse he bent down and kissed her again and
again. That she permitted it while we children could hardly approach herS..
1 kicked Matilde in her ribs, she galloped as if she would have seen a snake. Henry, the pony, just waited for
such an opportunity, set his ears back and caught up with me. Antonio must have shouted, since suddenly
father was on his stallion behind us and was hitting his horse till he reached us. The foam was hanging from
the mouth of the horse and the sweat stained its golden skin.
My father said something threatening, but we children got off the horses and went along the wheat field.
Then 1 had a good idea: 1 knew how 1 could reconcile him. ^Wait^ 1 said to my sister. 1 tore a good bunch of
ripe wheat ears, with their stalks and roots, ran back to my father and gave him the ears of wheat ^For you^ 1
said to him. I had never been beaten, but I feel sometimes even now the stroke that hit me. ^Never do it again,
never^ my father said, he threw the wheat on the ground, were the wind scattered it. On the way back,
nothing remained of it.
The estate, the estancia, was not very large, but the house was cool and we spent all our vacations there. My
father took me in the mornings to ride with him. He showed me were the water came from and how the large
windmills worked day and night. The earth under the wheat was moist and the Alfalfa roots sucked up the
groundwater from far away. Our house was in a little wood. From far away 1 could see our trees and knew
that this was our estancia.
One day father said to me: *1 earned our estancia solely, by myselF. 1 said, ’She is much to big for us.
Antonio and his brothers and parents sleep only in a little room. Why do we have so much room and they so
little? 1 mean also in Buenos Aires, in our new house.’
Father was almost angry: ’Don't you understand, that 1 have all that because 1 worked for it?’. He looked at
36
me and expected me to agree with him. But for the first time my father's reply did not satisfy me. Didn't he
think like me? From this moment on 1 must have seen the world differently. This change included even my
surroundings in the city. 1 was an open child, I knew that my parents loved me, and when I thought of
something new, 1 said it openly.
But to my own surprise, I never again spoke about our standard of living and that of my Indian milk brother
Antonio. In the past I used to play a lot with Antonio, we went to the same elementary school, his parents
worked for my parents, I was almost one of them but Antonio was not one of us.
That was how I spent the first years of my life; The son of the boss of a large firm with branches in
Rotterdam, Frankfurt, Mannheim, Copenhagen, London, Genoa and hundreds of branches in Argentine. I
remember our first two apartments, the first were 1 was bom and the next one, the rooms in the rear of our
office. But I remember most my father's third dwelling: our villa in, at that time, the very fashionable
Avenida Alvear area. A large garden with old trees, the house covered with climbing plants, all the sweet
smelling flowers, which grew so fast, reaching up for the sun, that every two weeks we had to cut them, to
avoid them covering the windows.
In the ground floor was the big dining room, the floor covered with sisal mats to isolate fi-om the heat. If 1
had known that we were CEnew-rich', I would have understood the large number of household help we had.
There was the butler-driver Jacinto, Antonio's father. His wife, Juana, my wet-nurse, a good person and very
good cook. ^You will once be entered in the CEGolden book of inventors', Juana^ my father said jokingly,
after a very special meal. A lot of his guests had been invited for the first time. The table was important, but
more so the meal for cementing a long friendship with the guests. ^ The golden book ofS what, sefior^ asked
Juana, ^ you mean the Bible, no?^. My father liked Jokes, crude and fine ones. But here the first ones would
have hurt and the second would not have been understood. ^Exactly,^ was what father said to Juana, ^he
sefiora and I are bound to you^ I heard him say.
TTie road from Mannheim to Buenos Aires is a very long one, especially for a young woman, with a harsh
German education who had learned in this way, how to run a household. Well, in Buenos Aires, in the arms
of a successful man, who spoiled her like a lover and also the esteemed mother of his children, she had a
lady's maid, who spoke only French, two local maids and for us, the children, the very strict British
governess. In the kitchen were her half-Indian cook and her husband, our carriage driver and butler in the
evenings. If my mother had any secret sorrow, it must have been that she never learned to speak correct
Spanish. We children grew up speaking four languages. When in town, we saw our father very seldom: he
was busy earning money. Sometimes he took me with him to the office. There nobody said to me ^Don't
damage the machine^ like at home, where I was not allowed to touch anything. Here I was the son of the
boss, and the difference between what 1 was allowed to do at home and what 1 was permitted to do in the
office, astonished me.
One day I saw a young apprentice coming out from the private office of my father. His face was red, his eyes
full of tears and he was biting his lips. He ran to the clothe stand, tore of his cap and left through the door, ail
in a couple of seconds. Our oldest accountant looked after him, sadly, I thought. ^What happened to him?^ I
asked, * Why didn't he speak to me?^
’Your father just dismissed him, it had to be so, and he twice acted against the instructions of the boss.’ Your
father had already warned him once, whai he did the same. But the boy is stupid and thinks that he is clever.
He thinks that the boss doesn't notice it, since his head is full with the big negotiations, so who will control a
little apprentices.’. I said proudly ’My father was also once an apprentice and today he is the boss’.
The accountant looked at me in a friendly way; ’You understand, that one must manage a firm with orderly
people, not with stupidity like: I can do it better than the Patr6n(7)’.
1 asked: ’What is he going to do now?". The accountant, who spoke good English since he learned his
profession with a famous British company, said only; ’ Who cares?’. I wanted to say that 1 worried about the
boy, but kept quiet. 1 just had learned something very important and used it at once; ’Yes’ I said, ’ 1 will
remember this’.
37
Did we rich children have a happy childhood? If one understands by that, that we had everything, a country
estate, that we could stand before the wheat fields and say Hhey belong to us, our father worked hard for it^
that we traveled to the nicest areas in Argentina, saw the mountains, the animals with the soft furs, yes - we
had a happy childhood.
But if we wanted to be with our parents, instead of being with friends from the school or the German colony,
we were lonely. We missed the approval or disapproval of our deeds or misdeeds by our parents. They
expected from us certain behaviour, and that we complied to. One called that education, and to make us well
educated, several teachers, misses and Mademoiselles made efforts. My sister, four years younger, and
myself started early a defence against this. We said, *Yes^ and meant ^No^.
In 1907 there was a big change in my life. At that time the (Eforeign colonies' did not have, tike they do now,
their own schools, recognized by the Government, in which they study in the morning the mandatory subjects
in Spanish. Then they have lunch in the school and after that the lessons are in the language of the homeland
and include language, history and literature. Instead, at the time, the British send their children at the age of
nine to boarding school in Britain, the French to France and the Germans to Germany. I was sent to
Frankftirt/Main.
For me, my father wanted a profound humanistic education, Latin, Greek, and later advanced French and
English. He never forgot his Latin school and he wanted me to have the education he could not complete. In
Germany the best humanistic CEgymnasium' was the (EGoethe City Gymnasium' in Frankfurt. It had an
advantage over the other state schools: in the board commission was a member of the court, who by chance
was a relative, the husband of an aunt.
At the time, my grandmother from my mother's side lived in Frankfurt, a good woman who undertook to take
care of me. 1 liked to go to the old lady, she received me with great pleasure and I could come to her any
time. Being with her 1 rested from the stricL to me senseless looking discipline of the teacher's house and the
school. My father brought her once a large very beautiful parrot from Brazil. ^Gogo^, the bird, had to replace
^Matilde^, my horse, and as if he knew, he screamed for me his jungle-cry whenever I came through the door.
He behaved, so it seemed to me, like the head of the house and he showed whom he liked and whom not. He
liked me very much and the wide of my shoulders were just right for him to perch on them. It was as if his
weight was fixed for me and his claws never hurt me. His coloured feathers were the most colourful things I
had in my closed-in pupil's life.
I was billeted witli a teacher of the Woehler-Real school, who all the time took foreign pupils in. With me
there were 3 German-Mexicans and one from England. But we were not allowed to speak foreign languages,
so said a wooden shield in our common bedroom. We boys all spoke Spanish as a second language, and
when the single light on the ceiling went off, we exchanged memories quietly. We had, it seems, some kind
of homesickness, but we laughed a lot under our covers before we fell asleep.
Our class teacher, with his face full of scars, did not like me. I once shook his strictly fenced in world with a
question: ^ Why, Mr. Head-teacher, do I have to study here dead languages, why not the living, which can be
of use?^. He sniffed quietly, which was always a sign that he was loaded with fury. He gave me a Prussian-
destructive look and sniffed out loudly: ^ Why this§. and why that§ your name should be Felix Why and not
Felix Weil. But I will answer you anyway. Because the classic languages are a must at the Goethe
Gymnasium, and students don't have the right to complaint His face was red: ’Remember, Weil, a German
boy learns what they teach him^.
’Yes, Mr. Head-teacher’ 1 said to him, ’1 will remember that’. 1 certainly did it and quoted it often, but witli
my meaning.
At that time I experienced my first spring-days in Frankfurt. The short spring in Argentina was beautiful but
these ones even more so. It took weeks and with it came blossom after blossom, the trees stood next to each
other like pupils in a gymnastic lesson. They stretched their branches and after a sad morning in the Goethe
Gymnasium, they were a consolation for me.
38
For living, eating and sleeping at my boardinghouse- father's I needed consolation. His very clean apartment
on the fourth floor sent its fumes as far as the house's entrance: wet clothing or the daily, in water swimming,
Brussels sprouts or both. We boys called the boardinghouse father Mr. Rosenkohl (Brussels-sprouts), and his
wife, who was bom with a mistrusting face: ^Miss Traute^. Traute was her real name.
One evening I had enough. 1 whispered to my 3 friends on their steel military beds, that I would mn away. *
Now^ I said, M will go to my grandmother's^. How they envied me and wanted to come with me. *Next
Sunday come and visit me^, 1 said.
We were all trained in sport. We rode as children, played English games and the most experienced one was I.
1 climbed quietly through the window, along the drainpipe and from upstairs, tied to bedclothes, followed my
travel bag. It was the only piece of baggage that Mr. Rosenkohl permitted us to keep. From downstairs I
winked to my friends, took my bicycle and was free.
Minutes later 1 was at my grandmother's house, after breaking a branch of the lilac tree at the house door.
She saw me, saw my suitcase, the lilac branch and since she has been in Steinsfiirt and saw there the
inscripticm on the old plaque, she laughed: ’You think you are Friedrich the Great? Should I keep you tonight
for the fatherland?^
1 threw myself on her neck, ’No, but please keep me for the firm Weil Hermanos’.
The next morning I gave my class teacher my new address at my grandmother's. The headmaster reacted as
expected; ’Did they throw you out of the boarding house? 1 can understand it’, and more. It was not true and
since we appreciated truth, I contradicted him. He got to the wrong person if he wanted to make fun of me in
front of the whole class. In his class I was perhaps the one most eager to study. But as the son of my father 1
knew that time is valuable and one should not waste it. In my school they had never heard about it. So we
wasted time with a mixture of ’ancient science’ and ’Fatherland studies’ and my ’mens sana’ would have
wasted away, had I not found a way to get an education.
1 started to avoid the hated lessons. My grandmother's cook had learned in her convent school an engraved
handwriting and with that she wrote letters excusing me from classes because of ’throat-pains, intestine-
aches’, etc. Whose signature she put on the letters, I never knew. The main point was that 1 was absent and so
the head-teacher had a good day.
But I had it also. As soon as the Frankfurt's city library opened, I was there. 1 read with a system. I started
with German and soon 1 loved forewords, their meaning, sense and composition. I started with the
CEforbidden' Goethe. Then, since I read and wrote English and French, I came to Voltaire, Balzac and on a
cold winter day to ’Z’ for Zola.
How warm 1 became on that cold day as I, in an almost a bodily sense, followed Zola, and as 1 reached,
before they closed the doors, by QEJ'accuse'. I did not understand exactly about what it was. But I knew what
defamation was, I knew what treachery was and that one should fight it, if you are accused but not guilty.
The old librarian asked me when I went out: ’Well, young man, how far did you get today?’. I answered ’Up
to CEZ' for Zola’. She saw my excited face and said to herself: ’If our Provincial school consultant could hear
this§.I always tell him: give a child a good library and he will educate himself.
Frankfurt is really a town of culture. It has an Opera house, which is almost like the ’La Scala’ with its
orchestra and soloists. It has a gallery of paintings and the statues would have satisfied the Louvre. I
remember the most beautiful of all, a young CEAthenae', through her marble body seemed to flow blood. She
was narrow and not too big, not overwhelming but most attractive, more than any human being I ever had
seen. I had one wish, a boy's wish: I wanted to once put my face in her hand. That must be, I thought, the
spring of life. But I did not dare to. I had very early learned that wishes are there to be wished, but not for
fulfillment.
39
1 felt more assured with the English and American social authors. In Argentina there was poverty, but no
misery. I had never seen it. A bad harvest could destroy a local farmer's family, but only till the next harvest.
What happened in between 1 did not know. Once Juana, my milk mother, said to me: *It is all the will of god,
we poor people can not change iE. I asked her: ^Is that why you go so often to the church, Juana?^. She said:
^Yes, Felicio, I pray for what was, for what is today and for what will be tomorrow^. I said to her: *When do
you rest, Juana?^. ^Rest^, she said. Vest, I have later^. 1 knew that by later she meant the ffilife beyond^.
’Could we not make it better here today?. If there would be a cash fund for the laborers for bad timesS’. She
shouted: ’Be quiet^ and her warm hand was on my lips, ’don't say that ever again^ She turned fast away from
me, so that her skirts were bulging. (ENever again', I thought, why?.
I forgot these memories the same evening. My parents wrote my grandmother, that they and my sister and
their servants, would come soon to Frankfurt. They would stay in a hotel at the Opera Square and they
reserved also a room for me, so we all would soon be a family, wrote my father. ’Why Frankfurt?^, I asked
my grandmother as 1 cleaned Gogo's open cage. ’Why not Paris or Holland?’.
’Because here are the best doctors’, she said. I did not know from her tone, if she was sad because my parents
needed the best doctors or proud that they came to her, the old woman. ’We shall see’ she said and stroked
my hair.
’We are soon again a family’ I repeated at night in bed. During the years in Germany I almost forgot what a
family was. I have to admit, that 1 did not miss it too much. When I was homesick, it was more for Antonio,
my horse Matilde, the strong smell of the plants and mostly the people. In the streets in Argentina one could
give an unknown person a friendly look, man or woman, and you got a friendly look back. You could also
call an unknown person CEamigo' or (Efriend' and he answered with the same greeting. That was of course
only the case with the simple people, who walked on foot, held children in their hands and wore completely
different clothes than my family and me. In Germany 1 did not dare to greet an unknown in the street. To the
Germans, at that time, to be mistrusting was as natural like to an Argentine labourer the greeting from person
to person.
Since I was a steady visitor of the city library, I learned to distinguish, perhaps ahead of my age. Much,
which in Argentina I would have done instinctively, was not to be done in Germany. That I had learned. I
saw also from the books that you couldn't change people just like that. The best way seemed to be education.
But which kind? Like at the Goethe Gymnasium, where fines and threats awaited those, such as me, who
thought otherwise? Who taught our teachers? Did they know anything beside the stuff that was written in the
schoolbooks? What a young horse could have supported, they loaded on us children: ’A German boy
leamsSetc’.
Tears came to me in my bed when I thought of my horse Matilde. The young mare obeyed only the warm
way, instructing, hand. A whip had never hit her. She awaited me with her brow ahead, and put her head on
my shoulder. So we stood, for some minutes sometimes.
1 was aware that much would be different as soon as my parents and sister would arrive. Overall I had to
make great efforts in the school. ’Good notes are the student's honour’ said my teacher and gave me a
quarter-year certificate with the remark: CEWeil has to make big efforts, if he wants to reach the goal of the
class'.
1, of course could not do such a thing to my father. Whatever I was forced to study, was what had been
refused to him. So I learned, in some way, for both of us. And now, before his arrival, I seated myself next to
the polished table of my grandmother. Watched by the ball-eyed Gogo, I learned Ovid and Caesar's wars, I
differentiated between the first and second Punic wars, I lived with Homer, I ran the dusty road to bring the
news of the victory of the army over the other army, arrived finally and broke down. Gogo perched on his
bar, his head under his wings and I with my wet head on the table, were soundly asleep.
During the handing over of the school reports on the morning of the arrival of my parents, I read: ’Very good,
Weil proved what he is able, if he makes efforts’.
40
From the school I rode on my bicycle directly to the hotel on the Opera Square, where my things were
already in my new room. ’Suite 52, Mr.WeiF said the porter with a bow. A boy in some kind of uniform took
my schoolbag from my hand and gave me a brass key. In the elevator 1 asked the boy: ’To which school are
you going?^. ’To none, Mr.WeiP answered the boy, ’I am already 13^. I asked him: ’Don't you want to
continue to learn?’. The school was for me only the first step for an education. The boy answered ’To
continue, Mr. Weil, with what?’. We were in front of the door to suite 6, the boy opened it and said: ’Mr.
General Manager, your Mr. son is hereS’.
I took the schoolbag from his hand and from each door of the suite someone came towards me. I heard
German and Spanish shouts; the fastest was Anita, my little sister and then the others. Mother was slimmer
and pale than ever, next to her was her lady's maid in her blue-white dress, with a big apron and without a
cap. A good face, strong bones, she walked near to mother, a hand on her thin arm. My mother kissed me and
cried. What was there to cry, when we were all together again?
When mother turned, I saw him, the man for whom I studied, the man who was an example for me and I had
to thank for so much: my father. He came slowly from his doorstep. He had observed me from there and was
in no hurry, his steps were slow. I thought, he is more excited than me. I ran to him on the soft carpet and
handed him my school report. I was embarrassed. In this minute I could not lie: ’The other reports are bad’ I
said and hang myself on his arm, ’but now that you are here, I will be the first in the class’.
I don't remember anything else of that day, it is not important. Because that day was unique, the beginning
and end together.
That my life would be different due to the arrival of my parents, was clear to me. 1 had to be punctual now,
had to cut my hair in the barbershop of the hotel, to put my Karl May book in an orderly way in the
bookcase. I also had to lead, what my teacher called (Ea civilized life'. My uncivilized life was now very
restricted. It consisted now mainly in secretly reading in the town litraiy, visiting Gogo, where the cook
handed me CEexcusing' letters for (Ejust in case'. Because of the secret reading my school lessons suffered.
From very good, the notes fell back to the former (Ehas to make great efforts to reach the class goal'.
In Buenos Aires my father was very proud of my accent-free Spanish, French and English. There the teachers
came from their respective countries and before we knew, we spoke the foreign languages like if we had been
bom there. In Frankfurt, our foreign languages sounded like if they came from the banks of river Main.
Because there it was where our teachers had studied. One should try to recite Verlaine's poems with a
Frankfurt accent. I could have sued the Goethe Gymnasium ’for the teaching of foreign languages with a
Frankfurt accent’, since today I am lecturing in several languages, but always with the accent of the Main. It
often threatened my career, but never for long.
My parents wanted to settle down in Frankfurt. There were the best doctors for their illnesses. At the edge of
the town, in an area of villas, there was enough space for the large house with a big garden that my father
promised my mother.
A well-known architectural firm had worked already for month on the plans of the house: these were laying
on the long table in our living room. Next to the table, with a measuring staff, sat father. Opposite him,
delicate like an English pastel painting, my mother. In a comer of the room sat her lady's maid and knitted a
large, coloured cloth, that perhaps was never finished. ’Penelope’, I thought, as a Goethe gymnasium scholar,
’poor Ulysses who returned to needles and thread instead of soft arms and silky hair’.
’I don't understand designs’, said mother, ’ four lines are not a room’. Father laughed. I was glad, since by us
now one seldom laughed.
But a week later mother understood what her house was going to look like and even how the furniture that
was ordered from England would be. Father had ordered, made to measure, the correct model for her.
Everyone moved, the windows and doors opened and closed and the former Senora Weil, now Mrs. General
Manager, smiled her Argentine smile, and was young and loved by a man like nobody else, and somewhere
was her little son.
41
I saw the looks they exchanged. Father said: ^Now we drive to the building-site, for your garden^. We
arrived, in our large open car. Parents, children, governess and maid. I sat next to the driver; ^You will be
surprised, Mr. Felix^ he said, it is a complete comer and there is room for 4 high-class houses^. He assisted
father out of the car till his dangling le^s reached the ground. The maid helped my mother and we children
followed and were astonished; so largeS
Why did 1 think suddenly of my friend Antonio?. Father said softly to mother: ^Iftis 1 searched and found for
youS^. Mother said; ^Can 1 now see where the garden will be?^.
From his shed came the landscape architect. ^ Mrs. General Director, here will be the spot most shielded from
the wind. The trees are already ordered, fully grown^. Mother said: ^Very good, over there 1 want a small
bench, made of yellow Italian marble and a statue behind it, a young goddess^. ^Of course^ said the architect,
*it is a pleasure that Mrs. General Director has such a good taste^.
Why did I think of my young (EAthenae', the one with the open hand in the museum?. 1 thought and kept
quiet. She has found her place and should remain there and make others, like me, happy.
Behind me was some movement. The driver ran to the car, drove fast through the building site, and the maid
put my mother in the car. *Back home^ shouted my father and we drove. When he wanted to get out of the
car, father's legs were weak and 2 men from the hotel brought him upstairs. I never saw my mother again.
We children did not know that mother had fought already for a long time the cancer she had. I only saw in
her bedroom the radiation lamp and got to know that later she got other radiation treatment in the city
hospital.
Several days after the visit to the building site they told us, late in the evening, that mother has died suddenly
in the hospital.
Her body was burned. Only my father and her old mother were there. I was at that time on our building site.
They worked now faster and with more labourers. The place in the garden, where no wind came, was ready.
The fully-grown trees were planted and the yellow marble bench stood beneath the trees.
I told it my father. ^There I will bury her um^ he said, frhat is her place. Till then I will put her in my room
and 1 will never let her go from me^.
Shortly after, in May 1913, we moved to the new house. My sister and I helped father, to bury the um with
mother's ashes next to the foot of the statue in the earth. On the base of the statue was a bronze plate, with
mother's name and her birth and death dates.
We children returned to the house. Father sat slowly down on the bench. His lips moved, but we could not
hear what he said.
The house on Zeppelinallee 77 passed the war without any damage. It is now the seat of the offices of the
National Soccer League. It was a striking, but not beautiful building. Its front showed sign of the
(ETrademark' of the architect and like many other buildings in this street, showed the riches of the owners.
The (ETrademark' that one can still see on many other houses in the town is: a semi-circular front building,
with the bay on the ground floor and a open uncovered balcony on the first floor.
The house was very big and was set in a large garden, covering 3 of the adjoining plots. On the fourth plot,
on the Hans Sachs Street, was the garage for our 4 cars with apartments for our 2 married drivers.
On the ground floor, next to the wardrobe rooms near the entry and the elevator, which father had to use all
the time, was a large hall, designed as a living room, where a nice .staircase led to the first floor, and where a
large leather sofa and leather chairs stood around a large table. The hall was dominated by an electrical
Welte-Mignon automatic piano, loaded with wide parchment rolls with holes, which also could be used as a
42
piano when the mechanical drive was disconnected. It had an arrow-like lever, which controlled through the
parchment rolls the function of the pedals.
It could be used in two positions. In one it followed mechanically the printed roll, held by the pedal; in the
other one the player could play his own way. I still see my father sitting hours by the piano, maneuvering the
lever with his hands, which were never paralyzed, while the parchment roll ran, playing his favorite music,
^The Hungarian Rhapsody^. I even now can't hear the Rhapsody, without this recollection.
Next to the hall, which was towards the Zeppelinallee, were: on the left side the seldom-used library-room
and on the right side the music-room with its grand piano. Then came the dining room with a table for 8
persons, but that could be expanded to seat 36 persons. Then came the winter garden with rare flowers, and
from there was a wide stairway leading to the garden. The rest of the ground floor held a large kitchen and an
interior staircase leading to the two upper floors. The staff was also accordingly large: a cook and two
housemaids which lived in the house, a cleaning woman and kitchen help that came every day. A butler came
for receptions.
On the first floor a wide gallery went from the staircase around two sides of the house, the third side being a
churchlike window-wall. In the gallery was the elevator, then the breakfast-room, my father's working room
with a large half open terrace, (which was over the bay on the ground floor). After that was his sleeping-
room, on the comer his bathroom, then the room of his nurse. The gallery ended with a door towards the back
and behind the door were: on the left, the nurse's bathroom and around the comer the sleeping room of my
sister with a balcony overlooking the garden, then our common bathroom and my working-room and next to
it my sleeping-room, which was next to the inner staircase to the second floor.
In the second floor were: the painting studio of my sister with side windows and overhead light, after which
were 6 guestrooms with 2 bathrooms, then 3 rooms for the maids with 2 bathrooms and then a staircase
leading to the roof level.
In the basement were a room for the bicycles, a great, isolated wine cellar, a room for the heating coal and
the heating boiler, a room for the elevator machinery and some storing rooms.
Ifie house was theft-proof In front of every window in the basement and ground floor they hung in the
evening a thin chain with an electrical wire between two contacts. If somebody opened a window, the wire
activated the left contact and the alarm, which was connected to the police station, went on. If the thief broke
a window, he could cut the chain, but this would also activate the alarm. In the house everything remained
quiet, but in the police station the alarm went off.
The alarm system could be shut-off from outside if you had, like me, the right key and knew, where the
alarm-box was hidden. While we were living in the house, we had two attempted break-ins. In both cases the
police caught the thieves.
Poor father, these security measures were good against thieves, but not against the growing son, who would
one day go a different way.
The big dining room was used from time to time. Normally the family ate in the breakfast room on the first
floor; we were actually only four, father and his nurse and we children. But father gave often big receptions
and those were kept in the large, very elegant dining room. He was a great philanthropist. A sponsor of
painters, singers and actors. He also sent some of them to the Academy of Arts, or the Actors' or Singers'
schools and they loved to come to his receptions, as there was always very good food and wine. Also, big
musical (Esoirees' were held, where he gave his discoveries opportunities to get known.
My father had two dogs. One was Caesar, our, always in a bad mood, Bernhardiner. He was not young
anymore, but a good watchdog. During the day he was chained to his stone-hut, which was a part of the
house. By night, without the chain, he could run around the house and trespassers, if there were such, were
frightened away with his loud barking.
43
Only two persons could touch him, our chief-driver (we had two drivers since we had 4 cars), who brought
his food, and my father. He didn't like us children. He never did bite my sister or me, but grumbled and bared
his teeth, when we tried to caress him. He died, suddenly, several years later, from a dog's disease. For a long
time after his death, we children made instinctively the same wide detour around his stone hut, as we were
used to do when he came at us, barking, although chained to the hut.
Sometimes they let Caesar into the house during the day. He at once ran up the stairs and lied down before
the door of father's sleeping room. When father came out of the room, Caesar followed him, wagging his tail.
He let father caress him and lay down next to father's legs. But when he wanted to return to the garden he
said so with a loud ’woofr.
Strangely, Caesar was not envious of our other dog, the small, young hairy Schnauzer. 1 believe, that he
thought of himself - as the watchdog of the house- a doghouse higher than the little one. Schnauzer, as father
named him, was at least 75% Pinscher, the rest we never found out. We found him, only several weeks old,
crying in front of our door. Father found him, fed him, at first with a bottle and then with solid food. The
little dog adopted my father. It was mutual love. During the day he often lay in father's lap, especially while
riding in the car. And the little dog included us children in his love for father.
Schnauzer had a gift, that I only found years later also on my dog, in Los Angeles, California. My dog was a
female Scottish terrier. The little dog felt if somebody did not feel well, be it was from sickness or some
other reason. Then you felt his cold nose and tongue on your hands or face. In Frankfurt it worked on my
father and us children. If my sister was crying, the Schnauzer came at once in order to comfort her.
The little dog accompanied father on all his trips in the car, even long ones..
Then suddenly something unexpected and unbelievable happened. Schnauzer returned with father from a
drive. While the driver got out of the car, in order to open the great entrance gate, the Schnauzer jumped from
the car, like he had done hundreds of times, ran to the street and was run over by a truck; he was dead on the
spot.
Father was very affected by this and in order to show his love for the Schnauzer, had the little body stuffed,
standing on his hind legs. From then on up to his death in 1926, stood the Schnauzer next to his writing desk
and at night next to his bed. I often saw father caress him, as if he would be still alive.
I think 1 know why both dogs were full of love for my father. When one thinks, what a big role in father's life
- and in mine- was played by the existence, or the curse, of the wealth, the two animals were the only ones
who loved him because of himself
Our first houseguest was the famous French pilot Louis Bleriot. He had been invited by the ILA
(International Airtransport Exhibition) to come to Frankfurt. He brought his single-wing plane, with which he
was the first one to fly from France to England. He took with him 5 times in the plane, flying 200 meters
over Frankfurt.
The nights before the flight I did not sleep much. 1 was afraid not to wake up in time. Bleriot loved the early-
morning hours with the light hazy air. We spoke always French. He said to me, * What 1 do here is only the
beginning. Soon one will be able to fly even in the evening or at night. But if you knew, how difficult it is to
convince people to accept progressS.they always think you are seeking something for yourselP. He gave gas
and the wind from his propeller bent down the grass-stalks on the landing strip.
When his visit was over, I was sad for days. Since then flying became my secret love.
The flying with Bleriot had not been *the first time in the air^ for me. In 191 1 and 1912, during summer, ^The
Frankfurt Automobile Club^ had had ^cross-country races of free-flying balloons against cars^. Father and I
took part of them; he and his friends as hunters in his car and I as a team-member in one of tlie hot-air
balloons, which belonged to a friend of father. I even now think about my fist time going up in the balloon,
how quiet it was; the balloon could be driven by the wind up to 40 km per hour. But in the gondola
44
everything was quiet, since the balloon was now part of the wind itself.
Every Thursday, we boys played QiSchlagball' on the dog-meadow. Sport was, at that time, something new
for High-Schools, and the elementary schools we played against were better than we were. ^Nice boys^ our
opponents made fun of us, They can't even hit the balP We only smiled. We knew some of them would have
wanted to have our education. It gave us the right to be an ^Einjahriger\ with which, I f one served only one
year in the military, and if a war was going on, you could become an officer.
Weil!, our sport teacher who was a Captain in the reserve, called me, ’Telephone^; ^Yes sir. Captain^ 1 said
and ran to the phone in the wooden hut, where afterwards we used to get sour milk with sugar and ciimamon.
On the phone was our good and famous family doctor. ’Come over. 1 promised your father to have a look at
you, since you grew very fast after the influenza you had^. I answered in a quite unfriendly lone, ’Yes I will
come^. From the meadow, the players called for me but I took my cycle and left. What a world was this, that
spoiled one's Thursday afternoon!.
I would give a lot if I did not have to tell about the visit to the doctor. But one cannot hide our conversation;
like the corpse of a person driven over on the highway, this miserable piece was once a human being and
then came a car and the larger bulk crushed the smaller one.
It concerned the illness of my father. It had an enormous influence in my life. I was 14 years old and a doctor
explained to me the secret of his illness. ’Your father is very sick, it will become much worse. Everything
that Professor Ehrlich and I could do for him was useless. Your father asked me to tell you and explain it to
you: it is Syphilis. Advanced. Unfortunately your father came to late to us; now he can't be cured^.
1 said: ’I don't know anything about Syphilis^. The doctor took a book from his table and said: ^Read the next
3 pages. I have to dictate a letter now^ and closed the door. The open book was on my scratched knees. 1
didn't want to read nor see the pictures. Then after I had read everything, a big rage came over me: ’ Why
this? didn't we children and mother give him enough love that he had to go to a strange woman?. Why did he
do something like that to us? why?.
The doctor must have heard me in the nearby room. Maybe he wanted my outburst to happen at his place,
instead of our house, where I could have caused a big damage. I asked him: ’Why, doctor, does a man let go
himself like that?
’Not only men, but women also can get sick. But for a man like your father, without further consideraticms, to
go into the body of a woman§. there must have been more to it than just a woman which can be bought; there
must have been a likeness of feelings, a lifelong waiting and an attraction like steel to a magnet. The certainty
that one has to become One, or you would be missing the only right moment.^
The doctor showed me a beautiful silver picture-frame standing on his writing desk. ’It is empty^, I said.
’There is no picture^. He doctor said: ’Read what is engraved below, on the edge’. 1 read the small writing:
(EAnd in a formCT life you where my sister or my bride'. Goethe.
’Can you keep a secret, Felix?. Then never yell that on my desk stands an empty frame, which waits’.
1 took my bicycle and I remembered that I kept the key to my grandmother's apartment in my pocket. At that
hour she would certainly not be at home; she would be at the ’Palmgarten’ drinking her lemonade with her
eldei ly friends. I entered the quiet apartment. Gogo, the parrot, knew my steps and cried out:
’..elix,..elix..gogo’. He jumped on my shoulder as always and I caressed him, like always. My Zoology
teacher had said to me sharply, ’Parrots have no soul, not even your parrot, Weil’.
But he did not know my Gogo. What I talked with the virgin forest bird, 1 don't remember. But if for my
father there was no cure, 1 had at least a calming medicine, my love for him and my youth as his support.
Now 1 hurried to get home. When I saw him, 1 put my arms around his neck without any words and held him
45
so hard, like if I would have been the father and he the child. It was the first time in years, that he let me kiss
him. Then he left the room without a word. The room looked strange to me and in the mirror 1 saw myself as
a stranger.
1 understood that I would have to follow now new rules, or else I, as an upright person, would have to stoop
like a beaten worm. Was this to be my father's fate?. ^Could it be also mine?^. The girls which 1 had never
touched, these faceless dream-figures, would they be refused to me?. No one ever spoke to me about the
disease as the price of Qisin'. Why, of all the diseases, was the one of careless love incurable?
In my brain there were new decisions, like pennies^
There seems to be a continuation to the writing, since there is an additicKial page as follows:
Felix Weil 446 B Country Drive Dover De 19901 USA
Working title:
CE Aus der Art geschlagen '(9)
(Which means something tike: (Ehe was a different type')
Part 2 Pages 31-102
14 July 1975
Endnotes by C. A. Weil, Buenos Aires, April 24, 2002
(1) ^Prokurist^: proxy, a person with a power-of-attomey-
(2) Felix is wrong. Hermann's parents had thirteen children. 6 boys and 7 girls. Hermann was the youngest of
the male children, but he had 3 younger sistCTS.
(3) 4 of Hermann's older brothers emigrated to the U.S.A. Felix doesn't mention the first-born, Leopold, who
died young and preceded Gustav. Only Adolf remained in Steinsfurt, because shortly after the birth of the
1 3th. child, their father Josef died, and Adolf had to stay at home to help their mother, Fanny, raise the
siblings.
(4) This refers to Mr. Fischoff, Hungarian and who was General Manager of the Rosario branch of Weil
Hermanos & Cia. Rosario, in the Province of Santa Fe, was the second largest city in Argentina and a most
important grain-exporting port. Fischoff married Hermann's younger sister, Elise Weil and retired from the
business before WWl. He returned to Hungary, with Elise and their Rosario-bom daughter Alicia. His 10%
were later bought my Mr. Sigmund Edelstein and Julius Flegenheimer. Sigmund Edelstein's oldest daughter,
Carola, was the first wife of Sam Weil's only son, Peter. Sam Weil was married to Alice Weissman, Rosa's
sister.
(5) This invention consisted of an apparatus that allowed one to determine the specific gravity of grains,
easily and quickly, even by persons of elementary education. The use of this apparatus and the ^specific
gravity^ definition of grains, was universally accepted by the trade afterwards.
(6) Felix refers to Bunge & Bom Ltd. which was Belgian, and Dreyfuss which was French,
(7) Patron: boss, owner.
(8) ^Geschlagen^ can be translated as: stamped, forged, minted, coined. Therefore the meaning of the Title
could be ’Coined (or minted, forged, etc) in one way^. But if one emphasizes the word ’Aus’, it may have
meant ’Forged (or stamped, or minted, etc) in a different way’. One would have to read the complete
memoirs to try to define what F61ix meant. Or one would have to ask Felix himself§§.
46
Felix Weil
Excerpts from an article written by Helmuth Eisenbach
The father of Felix Weil was Hermann Weil who was bom in 1868 in Stein sfurt/Baden. Hermann
immigrated to Argentina in 1888 where he became a very wealthy man dealing in the international grain
business. He returned to Frankfurt, Germany in 1907 because of ill health. He returned with his two
children, Felix, and Anita. Felix was bom on February 8, 1898 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He went to the
Goethegymnasium in Frankfurt and became a friend of Leo Loewenthal. In 1916, he entered the University
national Science Faculty. Though he was an Argentinean citizen, he volunteered from 1917 as an officer for
the Department of Rou^material in the Army. He was effected by the happenings of November, same as his
friends Frederick Pollock and Max Horkheimer.
The summer of 1919 Felix went to Tuebingen to finish his studies. There a Professor Wilbrandt was very
active "socializing" Weil. In Tuebingen, he lived with his cousin Mrs. Stem-Weil who had a clothing shop.
He became a member of the "socialist Students organization" and was elected to the board. There was
already a branch of the KPD (communist Party of Germany) in Tuebingen. The Ministry requested that the
University report about the communist-socialist activities; Felix was mentioned in the report. The police were
ordered to remove him. He was arrested but was soon released because he was a foreigner, he was expelled
from Wuertemberg.
Felix returned to Frankfurt and graduated in 1920 with his work about Socialization from Tuebingen. In
1922 he sponsored the "first Marxist laborweek", attended by his socialist friends. After the opening of the
"Institute" in 1924, he cooperated with the Marx-Engel Institute in Moscow. The Ministry of Culture
considered Felix a communist or radical socialist. In the years 1930/1931 the intellectuals in Frankfurt
understood the meaning of the rise of the Hitler Movement, the institute under the management of Max
Horkheimer immigrated to New York and Felix returned to Argentina. There he assisted several
organizations that helped fugitives from Germany. However, in Argentina the fascist movement also started
and therefore Felix immigrated to the United States in 1936. There he donated again to his finends in the
Institute $ 100,000. At that time he heard that Stalin executed one of his friend from Tuebingen.
Consequently, he completely stopped his contacts and cooperation with the Communist organizations.
In 1951, the University in Frankfurt reopened the Institute. Felix only came to visit; he remained in
California, where he was active for the Democrats. In 1963 for his 65* birthday, Frankfurt honored Felix
with the "Honor-Plaque of the town of Frankfurt" and "Honorary Membership of the Institute"
He returned from 1969 to 1973 to Germany. At the Education center of the American Air force in
Ramstein/Pfalz he gave lectures for the American soldiers and civilians in Social Science and political
Science.
In autumn 1975 Felix Jose' Weil died in Dover, Delaware, USA
47
History of Frank E.G. Weil
Son of Felix Weil and Katherina Bechert
Frank Weil was bom is Frankfurt Germany in 1924. His father was Felix Weil, who was the founder of the
Frankfurt School of Social Research. His grandfather was Hermann Weil originally from Steinsfurt. His
great grandparents were Josef (Jessel) Weil and Fanny Goetter.
When Felix and Katherina divorced, Frank went to Prague to live with his mother and stepfather. His
stepfather had been posted as a German diplomat. A member of the German embassy staff warned them of
Nazi intentions to persecute Jews, and they fled to Austria, then to Switzerland and later to England. Once in
England his Mother, Katherina Bechert, put him on a ship headed for the United States, where he joined his
father, who was working in New York.
Initially ineligible for U.S. military service because of poor eyesight, he memorized the eye charts and
eventually passed the military eye examination. He was a special agent in an Army counter intelligence unit
and participated in combat operations in the battle of the bulge.
After the war, he was a translator of French and German at war crimes trials, then returned to the United
States, graduated from Bard College and received a master's degree in international relations at Columbia
university. He worked in Germany for the Displaced Persons Commission and later in the Air force office of
Special Investigations, then returned to the United States. He received a law degree from Yale Law school
where he was editor of the Law Journal.
He came to Washington in 1962 to work for the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission. In this period, he
also was active with the Lawyers Constitutional Defense Committee.
In 1966, Frank began his career with the Office of Equal opportunity in the Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare. His work there included certifying civil rights clearance for hospitals seeking to participate in
the Medicare program. A year later he was present at the creation of the Office of Civil Rights, which
resulted from the merger of the Office of Equal opportunity and office of Equal Education opportunity.
In November of 2000, Frank retired from Federal Service after completing more than 42 years. He defended
people arrested during campaigns to register African American voters in Mississippi during the summer of
1964. Franks activism included a role in arranging for Medgar Evers' burial at Arlington National Cemetery,
instead of a segregated cemetery in Mississippi. He also had a small legal practice in Washington, where his
specialties included obtaining green cards that would permit resident aliens to work in the United States.
At his retirement he was praised and thanked for his long and dedicated career for the service to America
Franks was a former chairperson of Mensa International
His marriages to Valerie, Lynn, and Dorothy Weil ended in divorce.
His wife Barbara Courtney Weil of Washington survives him. Barbara will be returning to England in 2002
48
Lucille Jacobowitz Weil
Second wife of Felix Weil, son of Herman Weil
This is the story of Lucille Jacobowitz Weil, the second wife of Felix Weil (Son of the Herman Weil).
Lucille told this story to me, Marianne Weil Sekulow and my husband Erwin on December 1 1, 2001 . The
interview took place in her apartment at 7 W 96* Street in New York City.
A brief background surrounding the circumstances for our meeting. In attempting to locate members of the
Weil family, for the 2002 Weil Family Reunion, 1 placed several advertisements in The Aufbau (the German
Jewish newspaper). Lucille responded with a telephone call, shortly after the first ad had been placed.
Needless to say, I was thrilled to receive her call, and even more pleased to find a delightful, personable, and
enthusiastic 90 year old on the other end of my phone line. We arranged to meet in New York City for
lunch and a taping of our interview.
Arriving at her apartment we encountered a diminutive, attractive, and lively woman with straight graying
hair covered slightly by a chic felt beret tilted to one side. She was wearing a bright red sweater adorned with
a gold necklace and large gold pin matching her gold earring. As we looked at Lucille, the still fashion
conscious woman, we sensed she stunned her admirers and possessed a flair for style and charm.
As we entered her one bedroom apartment, it was obvious that she was not a woman of means, sparsely
furnished with few ornaments or personal possessions. On a small desk in the living area was a picture of a
man with a small mustache, I asked, "Is that Felix?" Quick to respond she said, " Oh, no, I would not have
his picture there. That is my father Stefan Jacobowitiz, but that is another story." I had heard about her
father, and I was delighted to know we would get the curious story of his infamous escapades before the
afternoon went-by.
"Well, lets start, — you heard of rags to riches stories, well mine was riches to rags." With this as an opener,
Lucille proceeded to provide us a background to her adventuresome life.
Lucille's father was a banker is Stuttgart, Germany. He was successful as a banker, but was never fully
accepted in the Stuttgart society, because Stefan's Jacobowitz had originally come fi-om Posen, a small town
in Poland where Stefan's father was an orthodox Jewish scholar. German Jews did not look kindly on those
Jews that were too orthodox and who downed the large black hats. To add to his difficulties, the depression
of 1929 caused him financial problems and loss of business. To add to his predicament, it appears that Stefan
became entangled with personal problems. After 17 years of marriage and four children, Stefan fell in love
with a gentile gynecologist, who had been imprisoned for performing abortions and speaking out at the
Sportplazt in Berlin. With all this notoriety, he left his wife and four children to marry this woman.
Before Lucille met Felix, she had many adventures in the United States. Because she had no money, she was
constantly looking for work to survive. She worked in several McCrory's attempting to sell "invisible
curlers" at $ 9.00 a week. Meeting one failure after another, she somehow ended up Paris, where she stayed
with her father, who attempted to get her a job in a bar. It seems his naivete contributed, innocently, to her
becoming a woman of the night. She was instructed to wear an elegant dress, sit in a booth, and sell drinks
to the customers. She could speak English, which helped her get customers. Lucille describes the scene as
she enters the bar. "1 went there with an evening gown, very cheap, but I looked very good. 1 was young
and good looking and all that, but I was still a bad businesswoman, 1 could not sell enough drinks to the
customers to make the boss happy. Lucille's escapades in the various bars proved to be unsuccessful but
when her father realized what was actually happening, he sent her back to America, that was 1936.
Back in America, she again began a job in the 5 and 10. Sometime later that year She got a call from the
Institute. It was the Institute for Social research. "They were all from Germany, Horkheimer and some other
intellectuals at Columbia University. I should come to 72"'* Street. There is a meeting with the founder. Dr.
49
Felix Weil; he needs someone to be his secretary. He had seen me once when I was at the Institute and said,
"Who is that woman with the nice legs?" So I got the job for $35.00 a week."
She met Felix for the first time in Philadelphia at his residential suite at the Rittenhouse Hotel. As his
secretary, she soon realized every letter Felix wrote he mention about Motta, a woman with whom he lived
for eight years but never married. He was first married to Katherina Bechert, with whom he had a son, Frank.
Felix was married to Katie only a few years when she left him for another very wealthy man " She was a
social climber who was very intelligent and good-looking and only used Weil as a stepping stone."
Felix and Lucille's relationship became a bit more intimate, and Felix was advised by his lawyer to marry
Lucille since living in sin could jeopardize his American citizenship. So they married March 14, 1939, and
went together to Argentina where he had a large number of relatives. After returning from Argentina they
moved to a large apartment on Riverside Drive in New York, "He was in love and I liked him and we had a
good life."
One summer instead of going to France, as they usually did, they decided to go to the Catskills where Felix's
good friend Fritz Pollock was. (Fritz's wife had died the year before) Meantime, they had a lovely time in the
Catskills, with Felix's head buried in magazines and books, while Pollock and Lucille went for walks in the
woods. Soon Pollock expressed an interest in Lucille; she was flattered and became "flirtatious." Their affair
began. Felix goes to Cuba for the Institute and meets Helen, who would become his third wife. In 1942,
Lucille went Reno for a divorce, hoping to marry Pollock. However, that never came to fhiition. She moved
into a one-bedroom apartment, hoping to marry Pollock, and eventually move into a bigger apartment - when
they were married. According to Lucille, Pollock "was a coward and a liar, he was terrible." As she looked
back to her life with Felix she said, "I should never have left Felix, he was a good man, a very good man, he
was also was good to people. He supported family, and he supported many artists."
Meanwhile, Felix's personal life continued to be in turmoil. He married Helen, because she had money and
encouraged by Horkheimer. Felix had spent most of the six million-dollars he inherited in 1928, for funding
the Institute and its many scholars. "I think he invested about four or five million in the Institute. He was
probably left with about one million, so he wasn't such a wealthy man anymore." The marriage to Helen
proved to be a disaster, with much public notoriety, with Helen wanting to expose him to Washingtwi D.C.
as a socialist and a communist. They divorced and she met an untimely death in an automobile accident
However, according to Lucille, his marriage to Anne (his fourth wife) brought him the most happiness.
They spent time with his son, Frank’ who lived in Maryland. Felix died in 1975 and was buried in Dover,
Delaware.
Today, Lucille is still living in that same one-bedroom apartment that she once shared briefly with Fritz
Pollock- öOyears ago.
A Brief Tale of Stefan Jacobowitz (Lucille's Father)
Lucille's Father, Stefan, was living in Paris with a girlfi'iend and for several years, he had a normal life, but
Hitler was about to conquer Paris. It was time for Stefan to leave Paris. Meanwhile, Felix and Lucille had
left a car, a Citroen, in Paris. Since Stefan could not drive, he looked to the Polish Consulate for a possible
solution. This is where he met the Colonel. The Colonel was a Polish Gentile, who was an anti-Semite - my
father was a Polish Jew. They both needed to escape fi'om Paris before Hitler arrived. My father said he had a
car but could not drive and the Colonel said he could drive, but had no money. With mutual needs the two
left Paris and headed south to pick up the Colonel's girlfriend, who joined them in the escape. Now Stefan
had to pay for her meals as well. They ended up in Lourdes where there was no danger of meeting Nazis.
Staying at the same hotel was Franz Wer fel. Stefan told the story about the Colonel and himself to Werfel.
Werfel said, "If I ever go to America, I am going to write your story. Maybe it will be a theater play. If that
happens, you will get half of what I get." When Lucille's father came to America, he heard from the lawyers
of Franz Werfel that the play sold for $300,000. He thought he would be a wealthy man. Instead, Werfel sent
him only $2000. It appears the Werfel's notorious wife, Alma, was not as generous as her famous husband,
Franz Werfel. The play became a movie starring Danny Kaye Me and (he Colonel.
50
/^A h/5 if]
WALDITUEDHOF IN THE MÜHLBERG WALD, WAIB8TADT, GERMANY
The following information has been abstracted from an ailicle in the Archives of the T^o Bacck ^
Institute, New York City. The title is; 1933 wohnten acht Juden in Waibstadt ( in 1933 eiglit
Jews lived in Waibstadt)
The new and old part of the cemetery jointly occupy an area of about 2.33 hectars. The
following communities belonged to the Waibstadt Jewish Cemetery Union: Bonfcld, Duchreen,
Ehrstaedt, Grombach, Hilsbach Hoffenheim, Hueffenhaidt, Neckarbischofsheim, Neidenslem,
Obergimperm, Rohrbach, Schlüchtern, Sinsheim, Steinsfurt, Untergimpem, Waibst^t; Weiler
Wollenberg, and part of the community of Berwangen. By 1913 the cemetery umon had shrunk
to ten communities, as several communities belonging to the original union had died out or
estabUshed their own cemeteries. The remaining communities were: Bonfeld, Groinb^h,
Hoffenheim, Hueffenhardt, Ncckarbischofshcim, Ncidcnstcin, Obergunpem, Steinsfurt,
Waibstadt and Wollenberg.
ll,c Arlicles ol'lhc Cemelety dated 5/21/1871 slate that only deceased from the Jewish
communities in the Waibstadt Cemeteiy Union can be atlmitled for bimal. An admission tax
was from five to fifty Gulden. Members of the communities iu.the cemetery umon were
obligated to pay a purchase price of two Gulden within three months of the date of their
m.uliage. Single tiadesmen were also obligated to pay.
It is further determined in the statutes of the Cemetery Union that the synagogue officials of all
Jewish Communities were responsible for the escort of the deceased to the cemeteiy. ^
“ It is particularly determined that a male corpse, irrespective of age. must be accompamed by at
least two men persons and female corpses must be accompanied by two women perso^ and a
grown up man person.
The assumption that the cemeteiy has already existed for many centuries cannot be documented.
. Thesparsedocumenlsofthetownregistrardatebackto 1850. The oldest registered ^ave^ne
‘ // 1644 is dated 1690. In the old part of the cemetery the graves were numbered in.l?13. me , ,
oldest markings are mostly covered up. 1 he highest grave stone number m the old «metery is _
1929, however ^e old number system reached the number 2309.
There arc 350 graves in the new part, where burials began in 1887. The last burial took place m
1939.
hnmediately adjoining the cemetery is the impressive Mausoleum of Dr Herrm^ ^il, which
' was erected in 1924. The urns with the ashes of Dr Weil and his spouse were plac^ hcrc^^^^
^ 1 he descendants of Dr Weü Uve today-day in New York and Argentina. Dunng the dliird Reich
' gravestones were toppled over and the inside of the Mausoleum was hcaydy damaged Repairs
were made in 1945. Smee this time the Jewish Waldlnedhot is cared tor by the town of
Waibstadt.
translated and alxstracted by Anne Kaiser, 1997.
JUEDISCHER FRIEDHOF IN WAIBS I AD F
THE JEWISH CEMETERY IN WAIBSTADT
Waibsladt Ortscliionik, 1995 Aiillior Ulrich Marowski
INTRODUCTION
The Jewish cemetery lies outside the town of Waibsladt in the middle of the Muehlbergwald.
Light fdters tluough the high trees on the overgrown gravestones with Hebraic markings. The
place has a special atmospheie. It is a peaceful grove and worth visiting.
The history of tlie town, published in 1936, devotes only four lines to the cemetery. The
Mausoleum is not mentioned at all. Sixty years later, filly years after the Nazi horror Jewish
cemeteries all over Germany have become cultural monuments of a special kind.
Even after the end of World War II Jewish cemeteries continued to be desecrated in Germany.
Fortunately this does not apply to the Jewish cemeteiy in Waibstadt. The cemetery is one of the
oldest of the 144 Jewish cemeteries still existing in BadenAVuertenberg. The oldest is in
Wertheim. The oldest in Germany is the “ Judensand ” in Worms, which dates back to the year
1076. The cemetery in Waibstadt with 2.33 ha is the second largest Jewish cemetery in
Gennany. In 1985/86 members of the Hochschule fuer Juedische Studien in Heidelberg counted
2556 grave stones. However a larger number of Jews are probably buried here and for various
reasons the gravestones can no longer be located.
And what kind of people were buried here? They were members of a group, which at all times
of their changing histoiy suffered from persecution . Despite all (he hostility they adhered to
their traditional belief in one G.d and kept their traditions, customs, holidays and rules of
conduct.. They had one thing in common with the people, who lived around them. They were
all poor. Today the cemeteries of the Jews are places with a special message, mute witnesses of
the history of our society and an attempt will be made here to allow them to speak.
THE CEMETERY
The visitor is immediately aware of a difference compared to CIn istian cemeteries. High trees
and undergrowth grow on the graves. Ivy climbs high on the gravestones. Old gravestones have
almost sunk into the ground. In contrast to Christian cemeteries, Jewish cemeteries are not
reused. The burial plot is home for eternity ( Beth Olam), or eternal house of life (Beth
Hachajim). The earth where the deceased is buried, is forever his. Here he awaits the coming of
the Messiah.
The Halacha, the religious Jewish laws, place particular emphasis on the honor due to the dead.
Here it is prescribed that one should not eat or drink in the cemetery, not collect firewood or
mow the gras. Furthermore it is disrespectful to the dead to allow cattle to graze on the
cemetery or to cut down trees and profit from the wood.
The old part of the cemeteiy , the Southern part , has over 2250 gravestone. A small new part
was opened in 1887. It contains 350 grave stones. Julius Frank from Neckarbischofsheim was
the last person buried here on Januaiy 26, 1940. The Jews remaining in the Northern part of
Baden in 1940 were deported to Camp de Gurs in Southern France on October 22, 1940.
HISTORY OF THE CEMETERY
The oldest grave stone is dated 1648. 1648, at end of the Thirty Year War, the Kraichgau was a
depopulated waste land. The lords of the local manors had only one desire , to attract population
to their towns and villages. They accepted large numbers?? Of Jews. Jewish congregations
were formed in different villages. Permission was requested in Waibstadt in 1648 to erect a
52.
synagogue. Otlier villages also buill synagogues and ritual baths. Next came the desire for a
local cemetery. Probably at first, the Jews in the Kraichgau, had to transport their dead to the
Jewish cemetery in Worms. I'he long distance and the “Body Tax”, when a Jew crossed the
border to a neighboring territory (Worms is at least 30 miles from the Kraichgau) encouraged the
Jews to look for a nearer burial plot, fhe oldest Jewish cemetery in the Kraichgau was started
in Oberoewisheim in 1620. At tust the Jews Irom Waibstadt brought their dead to this
cemetery. However as they did not belong to the Oberoewisheim Cemeteiy Association, they
were recjuired to pay, one Gulden and 30 Kreutzer to the Herrn von Heimstatt and Steinenfeld,
who owned the cemeteiy plot in addition to the customary burial expenses. The burial party
also had to pass tluough the “Ritterstifi Odenlieim”, where another “Body Tax” of one Gulden
and 30 Kreutzer was extracted.
As Jews were forbidden to buy land, it was not easy to find a piece of land for a cemetery.
When a landowner was found willing to lease land for a cemetery plot the ground was usually
barren, located in an isolated area and carried a high price. A single, usually poor, Jewish
congregation could not afford the yearly rent of 10 to 12 Gulden. Thus “Verbandsfriedhoefe”
were started, where Jews were buried from several communities. Unfortunately the original
lease of the cemetery plot in Waibstadt is no longer available and the documents of the
Cemetery Association date only to 1819. An official document in Sinsheim
(Ratsprotokoll) states that burial of an adult was one Gulden and of a child 30 Kieutzer.
In the 1 9th century the newly created State of Baden gradually permitted Jews to be come
citizens, learn a trade, engage in farming and enter the academic professions. The emancipation
had its influence on the Waibstadt cemetery. The elders of Waibstadt (Gemeinderat) debated
whether the Israelites were entitled to cut wood in the cemeteiy, as the town looked at the land
of the cemetery as its property. The quarrel led to negotiations to buy the land of the cemetery.
In 1870 20 Jewish congregations bought the old cemeteiy for 2000 Gulden and the new area for
additional 665 Gulden. The Congregations were Bonfeld (Wuertenberg),Dueliren, Ehrstaedt,
Grombach, Hillsbach, Hoffenlieim, Huffenhardt, Kirchardt, Neckarbischofsheim, Neidenstein,
Obergimpem, Rohrbaeh, Schlüchtern, Ste'msfurt, Untergimpern, Waibstadt, Weiler, Wollenberg
and part of the congregation of Berwangen. I he other part decided to join the cemetery of
Heinsheim.
The statutes of the cemetery association regulated the smallest details of a burial in 44
paragraphs. For example paragraph #43 prescribed: In order to combat the uimecessary waste
of space in the cemetery, we have decided that no coffin shall be wider than necessary. All
those exceeding this measure deliberately or of necessity shall make appropriate payment for the
extra space taken up.
Paragraph U 3 notes, that tlie purpose of the association is to provide its members a joint place
of rest. The association was headed by a commission of five unpaid members. Nobody who
was elected to tlie Board of Directors could refuse to serve without good reason, lest he incur a
fine of four Thaler. The directors of the cemeteiy association hired a “Leichendiener” (servant
of the dead) for a yearly salary of 50 Gulden. He made preparations for each burial, entered
appropriate information in the grave register and watched out, that space should not be taken
up unnecessarily.
GRAVE STONES
All the grave stones in the old part of the cemetery are made of local sandstone. Hebraic letters
are engraved in a square. Above this field is the rounded dome of the top of the gravestone. The
symbolizing G.d in the sky. All grave stones face East following Jewish tradition, that the
Messiah will arrive from the East. Many gravestones are topped with small stones, a sign, that
53
Ihe grave has been visited by a relative, d'his custom dates to biblical times, to travel through the
desert, when stones on a grave protected a corpse from wild animals.
INSCRIPTION ON GRAVESTONES.
All Hebrew inscriptions start with two letters, which arc read from right to left. These are
abbreviations for “po nitman or nikba or potmun”, in English “here rests” or “here lies hidden”
If the deceased is a man, next follows his name and his “patronym”, not his family name. For
example Zwi bar Mosche, Zwi son ol Mosche. For women, the stone usually gives their “Kose
Name”, pet name, for example Hannie wife of Mordechai. The name is followed by the
residence, date of death and often date of burial. As the Hebrew letters are also used to express
numbers, the dates are not easily read. At the end of the inscription is again a row of Hebrew
letters. From right to left t n z b h, an abbreviation for t”hi nischmato or nafscchoz’ura bizror
hachajim. In English, “His/her soul shall be accepted in the union of life”.
Longer inscriptions may include an eulogy of the deceased. A woman may be described as
worthy of love, chaste, modest, religious, full of goodness or a crown of her husband. Men are
characterized as honorable, conscientious, learned or modest. Generosity or charity are
emphasized for men or women. Charity included not only alms to the poor, but also work for
the Jewish community. There were brotherhoods and sisterhoods in the Jewish congregations,
which provided funds for feeding paupers, supported the marriage pf destitute girls and cared for
the sick, widows and orphans. These voluntary acts carried a great deal of prestige in the Jewish
commmiities.
Grave stones of more expensive material , for instance marble, can be found in the new part of
the cemeteiy. Here the symmetry of the old part is lost. In the nineteenth centuiy Hebrew
inscriptions were replaced by German. Only a few symbolic Hebrew words remained. The
inscriptions on the gravestones are indicative of changes in Jewish life in Germany, as Jews
became more emancipated and received full citizenship.
EXAMPLE OF A GRAVE INSCRIPTION.
I HERE IS HIDDEN
2. JITZCHAK SON OF BARUCH FROM DUEHREN
3. A RIGHTEOUS AND UPRIGHT MAN WFIO ALWAYS WENT
4. IN WORTHINESS, FEAR OF GOD WAS HIS PROTECTION.
5. HE EARNED HIS BREAD BY THE SWEAT OF HIS BROW.
6. HIS ADVICE WAS VALUED. AND HE DIED
7. IN HIS TRUST IN GOD WITH A GOOD NAME ON TUESDAY THE 26
8. SIWAN AND WAS BURIED ON THURSDAY, THE 28 SIWAN
9. 621 AFTER THE SHORT CALCULATION.
10 HIS SOUL MAY BE ACCEPTED IN THE UNION OF LIFE.
I I WITH THE SOULS OF THE PIOUS, WHO ARE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
The expression, after the short calculation , indicated that 5000 years should be added to the
date. To convert a Jewish date to the Cliristian calender, the number 3760 should be deducted
from the Jewish date. For example 5621 - 3760 = 1861. The Jewish month of Siwan is
approximately the month of June. The translation of the inscription was done by Ms M. Preuss,
(Ms Preuss works for the Landesdenkmalamt Baden/ Wuertenberg in Karlsruhe).
GRAVE STONE SYMBOLS
Often Jewish grave stones carry individualized ( eigenstaendige?)synibols on the space under
their rims. This is not the case with Christian grave stones. These symbols indicate favorable
characteristics of the deceased.
Here appear plants, animals, hands and cnllural objects, lor example a knife, pitcher, book or
Shofar. In contrast tliese grave stones do not show religious symbols such as a hand reaching
down from the clouds, as can be seen on Christian grave stones. The Jewish symbols often refer
to text in the Holy scripture or the beginning of Jewish histoiy.
In the oldest part of the cemeteiy located in the North East corner, a picture of a pitcher is
common. 1 his demonstrates, that this is the grave of a male descendant of the House of Levi.
Ihe Levis were on of the twelve tribes ol Israel, who, in biblical times, received no land. Instead
they fostered the religious life and cultural demands of the Temple. For instance , it was their
task to wash the hands of the High Priest before he pronounced the blessings. Therefore the
symbol of the water pitcher.
Aaron was the first High Priest and with him all his male descendants. They are still today
known as “Kohanin”, the Hebrew word for priest. Idie raised hands with the spread fingers
indicate descendants of the House of “Kohen”.
The SHOFAR is an important cultural symbol. It demonstrates that the deceased blew the
schofar on Rosh ha Schana and Join Kippur in the synagogue. This is a high honor till the
present day and at the same time, a difficult task to master.
The grave stone of Max Glueck shows a Shofar. Who was this Max Glueck, born 4/20/ 1870.
He was a popular citizen of Waibstadt. He was a musical person, whose talent enriched the
synagogue as well as the Waibstadt community. He was a member of the male chorus of
Waibstadt and was its secretary and vice president from 1927 until his death. He was a taylor.
There was a fire in the Sinsheimerstrasse in 1929. Max Glueck, a volunteer firemen, died from a
heart attack due to excessive exertion.
The LION is the symbol of strength.. Grave stones of persons whose name was Loeb or
Loewenstein or who carried the name of Ari (lion) were decorated thus. The lion is also the
symbol for the descendants of the House of Juda.
Two COOING PIGEONS or two pigeons on either side of a heart showed an exceptionally close
relationship between a married couple.
BUTTERFLIES were symbols for the fleetness of life, also for the immortality of the soul as it is
freed from the mortal body.
The CROWN was a sign of a good name. Jewish tradition declares: Tliree crowns can adorn a
human being: The crown of the Torah, the crown of the kingdom and the crown of the
priesthood., but a good name surpasses all tluee.
HANDS OF WELCOME AND GOODBYE signified an intimate relationship between a married
couple and are frequently found in double graves. GRAPES were symbolic of the fertility of the
Holy Land, but also of a blessed life on earth. ROSES and other FLOWERS were symbols of
eternal life.
The MÖGEN DAVID can only be found in the new part of the cemeteiy. The hexagram was
not an exclusively Jewish symbol and developed only late into a symbol of Judaism through the
Jewish congregation of Prague.
sf
5
THE CEMETERY IN THE THIRD REICH
Considerable damage was done on the 9tli and lOlh of November 1938, ICrystallnaclit. Duiing
World War II the town of Waibsladt negotiated with a private businessman, who wished to buy
the cemeteiy and grow an orchard on the land. Fortunately red tape and diagged out
negotiations prevented the sale.
THE CEMETERY AFTER W01U.D WAR II.
Directly after the end of World War II the military occupation forces ( probably American) m
Sinsheim ordered the restoration of the Waibstadt and other Jewish cemeteries. Between July
and December 1945 60 - 80 persons from nearby communities were ordered to make repairs.
They were all former members of the NSDAP, SA or SS. The “Landraf’ further ordered that the
cost should be bom by the former party members of 8 nearby communities. In January 1946 the
American Captain Jaron Tannenbaum certified that the work was done to his satisfaction.
As far as I can determine from the document the Jewish cemetery in Waibstadt is today
maintained from fmids of the German “Bundesrepublik” and the State of Baden. It is regularly
inspected by a representative of the Oberrat of the Jews in Baden. His report is sent to the town
f Waibstadt, which then initiates the required work.
Abstracted and translated by Aime Kaiser, Bronx New York, January 1998
j
Descendants of Karl(Solomon)Weil
Mathilda
Weil
Family
Standing: Susie Weil Balkin, Alice Frank Weil, Sophie Eichertsheimer Weil, Elsie Weiler Weil
Leo Weil, lllsa Strauss Weil, Stefan Weil, less KastenWeil, Edith Mendelsohn Weil, Karl Weil
Seated: Marianne Weil Schaffer Sekulow, Max Weil, Mathilda Weil, Carl Weil, Issie (Joseph) Weil
Front:: Les Weil, Marsha Weil Schiffman, Gary Weil, Peter Weil, Linda Weil Alsberg, Ron Weil, Jerry Weil
4
The Karl(Solomon)Weil
Descendants
Ruth, Susanne, and
Marianne Steinsfurt
1937
Ruth and Marianne, Daughters of Carl
Susanne, daughter of Joe (Roter
Sepple) Dubuque, Iowa 1943
Ruth and Marianne
Steinsfurt 1937
117
_ ■ ■* ^ 4
I
Karl (Salomon) Weil Descendants
Stefan, Martin Landaauer, Max,
Siegfried, Marianne and Ruth 1936
Uncle Albert Weil
VM i : ' fSm
. ---S
BI4 . f
0^
B
a - 9^ Gfltt « " „
Ä GUSTAV ^ ■■
P
i
Bi
r
■P
i
Descendents of Karl (Solomon) Weil
Uncle Max with Nephews
Les Weil, Jerry Weil, Max Weil, Peter Weil
and Ron Weil
Gustav, Carl, Siegfried, Martin Landauer Max,
Mathilda, Stefan Joseph(Seppel, Klara Marianne
Liselotte and Leo Weil
Max , Stefa, Martin Landauer in
Steinsfurt with new car
Max Weil son of Joseph
I
Karl (Salomon) Weil Descendants
Mathilda Mass
Alice Frank Weil, Susie Weil
Marianne Weil, Sophie Eichtersheimer Weil
Heinz and Recke Maas
Mathilda Weil's Parents
Paul holding Karla (Weil) Dungan
Moritz Eichtersheimer
Descendants of Karl (Solomon) Weil
Michael Weil Schaffer
Natalie S. O'Neill
Andrew L. Schaffer
Marianne
Sekulow
Erwin M.
Sekulow
Jon O'Neill, Rachael
Schaffer, Allison Schaffer,
Ben O'Neill, Alexandra
(Sasha) Schaffer
June 2000
Carl and Sophie Weil
Family 1964
Standing: Louis H. Schaffer, Marianne
Weil Schaffer, Ruth Weil Winick, Alan
J Winick
Seated; Carl Weil holding Andrew
Schaffer. Sophie E. Weil.
‘ M
' ''
w i
; ■
’^1
1
-uwv"- -
■■■ *
childrenfront: Natalie Schaffer, Michael
Schaffer, Leslie Winick, Heidi Winick
Samuel Weil family of Port Gibson
PowelDungan,
Rose Weil Dungan
Karl Weil (1971)
Samuel Weil
Zerline and Samuel
Zerline and
Karl Weil
i « ■ ■ / V
■d‘
-:>*• ’
■ ‘ ...
i * ’■ ... ■■■■ '
f .,
p'*s
..
r if '■
Jerome Victor Freitag and Babette Weil Freitag
Victor Freitag
Born in
Stuttgart
Babette Weil
Born in
Steinsfurt
Daughter of
Moises Weil
Crt-ttn I’HOTO
©tto % f'aolu
Axt^ N. V.
Ester Brail Freitag
and Joseph Victor
Freitag
Son of victor and
Babette
Sonia B. Freitag
kuniansky and Ray
L. Kuniansky
Daughter of Ester
and Joseph Freitag
Descendants of Babette Weil Spiess
Standing: Frieda Spiess, Jenny Katz, Max Spiess, Gabriel Spiess, Lina Mosbach
Front: Else Weinberg, Oma Hannchen Spiess, Ida Neuberger, Babette Weil Spiess, Sophie David
0*
Descendants of Babette Weil Spiess
6 gen. Margot (Spiess) with
Husband Heinz Jacobi
4 gen. Babette Spiess
with Henry Mosbacher
7 gen. Pedro and Andres Jacobi
9 gen. Tomas Jacobi
son of Andres
10 gen. Rebekah and Maria
Daughters of Andres & Pedro
8 gen. Andres Jacobi and wife
f ■ •! ' '
f sL
^■:ji
F P
' fs
: i
'IH
mm I
Wm i
jBL
r
«rp*
v^'
Stettenstrasse House in Frankfurt
Max and Berta last row right
Hanna is little girl in front
Frieda in uniform
Middle is Babette Spiess with Lena Holding arm
Far left is Sophie
Standing: Egbert and Heinz Jacobi
Seated: Hanna Spiess Meyer, Max Spiess holding
Daniel C. Meyer, Berta Rosenfeld Spiess, Margot
Spiess Jacobi
L - -gww.
1
Hanna Spiess Meyer Family
Daniel Claudio Meyer
Marian Van de Veen
Hanna Spiess Meyer
Frank Linden
Melanie Meyer
Madelaine Meyer and Frank Linden
Descendants of Adolf Weil
Starting at top
Leonor Weil, Josef Sigmund Weil
Max and Kurt
Opa Adolf Hilde, Alice Oma Jenny
Josef (sepple) Lehman, Seppel
Isi, Jorge Frohmann, Alfredo, Luis
and Fritz Lehmann
Carlos held by his father Seppel,
Luis Jose Frohman, Flora Weil
(Frohmann)
1960 Lilian Weil Bernstein, Mizi, Gerda
Frohman, Gabriela, Ruth Weil Mazer
1947 in Buenos Aires
Seppel, Carlos, Lilian, Anny, Flora, Hilde,
Alfredo, Leonor, Jorge, Max
01«
lsi,Kurt, Oma Jenny, Hilde, Jacques, Ruth
Mazer
I?’'!.'
Wedding of
Maximo Weil
and
Leonor Weil
Seated: Albina W. Weil, Gustav Gottschalk (Bride) Leonor Weil Weil, Ana Hoffman,
Front Row Standing: Edith G. Salomon, (?), Florle Weil Frohmann, Leonor Hirsch, Lisa G. Hirsch, Jules
Weil (father of Bride). (Groom) Maximo Weil, Fritz Lehmann, Nelly Weil, Peter Weil, Alfredo Hirsch,
Hilde G. Weil, Seppel Lehmann.
Standing Upper left: Elenita Salomon, Dr. Salomon
Behind the Groom: Felix Weil, Isi Weil, Kurt Weil
Standing Second Row Far right: Seppele Weil from Samuel)Moritz, Seppel Weil (from Adolf) Jessel
Descendants of Adolf Weil
Steinsfurt 1908 children
of Adolf and Jenny
Max, Josef(Seppel) Isi
Kurt and Flora
Steinsfurt 1914
Kurt, Josef, Max, Aaron Kirchheimer Isi, Flora
Jenny Kirschheinner, Fanny Goetter
Weil,Adolf Weil
r
Wedding of Kurt and Hilda
Jorge Frohmann, Leonor, Hilde, Josef, Anny, and Isi Weil
Flora, Max, Hilda and Kurt, Oma Jenny
Luis Frohmann, Ruth, Carlos, Alfredo Weil
« ‘i Viit ' •:(:
Felix Weil Son of Herman Weil
Felix Weil
Son of Herman
Frank Weil, son of Felix
and Katherina Bechert
Barbara Courtney Weil
(fourth wife of Frank)
Lucille
Jacobowitz
Weil
(Felix's
second
Lucille Weil
age 90 in
New York
Dec. 2001
Jorge Frohmann and Family
Daniela and Martin
Daniela and Jorge
Monica Frohmann With family
Roberto, Daniela, Isabel, and
Andy and Denise
Monica, Daniela, and Jorge
I
i
Present Day Weils
Israel 2002
Peter Weil, (?) Lea and
Gabi Neuberger, Les Weil
Houston, Texas 2000
Chico and Marianne
Carlos Weil
Cowboy Chico
Natalie and Michael O'Neil and
Family in Steinsfurt 1998 with
Emma Steiner and family
; Gaston, Leon,
lilian, Sandy, Daniel, Matthew
and Gabriela
Cheese Cake
This Kase kuchen is the one of my favorites. I bake it all the time, because it is so easy and nothing to do
with the NY cheesecake. First it is not as high, only 2 to 3 inches high and it is not as fluffy.
6 egg yolks,
300 grs. Sugar (1 Cup)
100 gr. Butter (1/2 Cup)
Pinch salt.
Lemon zest of one lemon.
Beat together for a few minutes until every thing has mixed well
add 500 grs. farmers cheese (1 LB.)
Add the 6 egg whites beaten to snow
add 4 spoonfiill of flour, a bunch of washed raisins.
Put it in a spring form which has been buttered and floured
Bake 45 to 50 minutes in the 350 oven. It has to turn a little brownish. It comes out moist Not dry at all.
We call that cake "ohne boden", without a floor, as you dont have to bake anything before.
Lilian Bernstein
1 went to look up to my mothers cookbook (handwritten) and found some written by my grandmother
Jenny Weil geb. Kirchheimer. One is in German and it is difficult for me to translate, maybe you have
a friend who could help. The others are in Spanish and I will translate them to English.
The one in German:
KAESEKNOEDEL: 1/2 KG. weisskaese gibt man durch ein Sieb oder zerdrueckt ihn
sehr gut. Dann gibt man 2 ganze Eier dazu, 3-4 Essloeffel Zucker eine Prise Salz und 4
gehaeufte Essloeffel Gries. Man formt die Kloesse in der groesser einer mittleren
Mandarine und laesst sie in einem breiten Gefaess in Salzwasser etwa 5 minuten kochen.
Wenn man sie groesser form, dann muessen die Kloesse etwa 7-8 minuten kochen. Dann
nimmt man die Kloesse vorsichtig mit einem Schaum loeffel heraus und sCTviert sie auf
einer breiten Platte nebeneinander. Man muss dies vorsichtig tun, sonst verlieren sie das
Ansehen. Es ist ratsam, einem Probekloss zu kochen. Sollte er zu weich sein, so gibt man
entsprechend Gries zu. Man übergiest die Kloesse mit brauner Butter, Zimt und Zucker.
BERCHES (Jalä) and a cake called Apfelbubele, matzeklöse, kartoffffeln knoedel,
süssauer gurken (sweet-sour pickles)
A dessert called EIGEL, made with ladyfingers, Zimntstmi (for the Xmas season!!!)
My Oma Jenny was a professional cook, she learned at a school of cooking in Heidelberg before
getting married to Adolf. She used to come on Friday mornings to my house (her son Max) and
she would then cook her specialties. She knew all by heart, so some recepies were not written
down and are lost.
Best regards, Lilian
English Translation of Kaseknoedel — Cheese dumplings
1/2 Kg. (1 LB.) cottage cheese presses through a sieve to make smooth. Add 2 eggs, 3
TB sugar, pinch of salt, and 4 TB farina or cream of wheat. Mix and form into balls the
size of a small tangerine. Bring a large pot of Salted water to boil. Place the balls into
the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Larger balls require more time. Very carefully,
remove the balls with a slotted spoon. Handle with care. Serve immediately with burned
butter, cinnamon, and sugar.
Confect Butterteig
1 ) CONFECT BLITTERTEIG- 120 gr. Butter, 5 Löffel Zucker, 2 1 0 gr. Mehl, etwas
Salz, 1 Ei. Die hälfte Mehl (which should be not the ordinary but the one
thatmakes things big) noch ein Löffelschen backpulfer (Royal powder)Mehl und
Butter und Zucker Ei zusamen wicken und gut arbeiten. Dan anwellen aus den
Tish . Den Blech geswinden mit wenig mehl butterisch, oben mit Ei bereichen.
Zucker und Zimt auch Mohn wen man will und schön hellgelb backen. Man kan
auch Kuchen von dem Teig machen.
Sweet and Sour Carp
From Chico Weil's Family
BEGGINING AT THE HEAD END CLTT EVENLY A WHOLE CARP OR EQUIVALENT INTO
STEAKS
AND PUT ALL INCLUDING THE HEAD INTO A PAN AND COVER IT WITH WATER. ADD
SALT,VTNAGER ONION, RAISIN, PARSLEY, SUGAR,PIECES OF HONEY CAKE
(LEBKUCHEN)AND BOIL FOR 20 MINUTES.
REMOVE FISH FROM PAN AND BOIL FOR ADDITIONAL TIME TILL HONEY
CAKE DISSOLVES COMPLETELY AND HELP IT DISSOLVE AND ADD MORE VINAGER,OR
SUGAR OR SALT IF NEEDED.REMOVE PARSLEY AND ONION.
POUR LIQUID ON TOP OF THE FISH AND CHILL
EAT CHILLED AND AS A FIRST DISH.
\
I
Poem by Rabbi Joel Mosbacher
Memorial Service Weil Family Reunion June 22, 2002 Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Thirty eight years we wandered the wilderness of Zin
Sixty untold years have passed since the Weils were neighbors
The journey has been long
Arduous at times
We experienced the pain of slavery
So many lost their lives at the taskmaster's hand
Others went forth to liberation uncertain
We crossed the Reed Sea to wander the wilderness
Today we gather from all comers of the wilderness on the shores of the sea
That wilderness
Marked at once by disorientation
Thirst, wandering, reunion
Fruitless searching for loved ones who would not make the journey.
We learned new trades, new languages
At times we experienced the joys of freedom
At other times, we longed for the familiarity of home
Wishing we could go home again
Knowing that we could not.
Some of us have relived the painful encounter with Amalek
Each and everyday
Others have buried their pain deeply
Hoping to protect those they loved.
Some went to the Promised Land
And made the desert bloom
Others, like Reuven, made a home for themselves
in other lands.
We stood together at Sinai, at Steinsfurt, at Sinai
We heard God's call
We challenged each day to hear the Voice again
We rebelled, we questioned, we obeyed, we rebelled, we questioned
We questioned.
We scoured the texts. Searched them for answers to our darkest questions
Is this what choseness means?
Couldn't you choose someone else, once in awhile?
For some, these questions brought us closer to the Source
For others, questions led them to seek other paths of faith
Or perhaps no faith at all
And ail along, we ßiced blessings and curses
Called always to choose blessing
Thirty-eight untold years we wandered the wilderness of Zin
Thirty-eight years of stories we will never know
Of births
Of lives
Of deaths
We have no photo albums of the journey
No mementos from portable memory boxes
Indeed, from the wandering in that desert
We have only hardwired, graetic recollection
Of blistered feet and parched throats.
Sixty untold have passed since the Weils were neighbors
Now the stories can be told
The web, once thought forever broken, can now be mended
Now we will share our memories
Joyous/painful
Now we will share our photos
Y ellowed/digitai
Across oceans and continents and time zones
We will remember what unites us
Sinai, Steinsfiirt, Shoah, Buenos Aires, Arkansas, Chicago, Brazil, Jerusalem
Jerusalem
New and renewed promised lands
The journey continues
Let us tell it
—Joel Mosbacher
Madelaine Spiess Linden
Weil mausoleum and Synagogue Ceiling
Weil
Family
The
Chronicle of Steinsfurt
THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
History of the Family Weil
Hans Appenzeller
I
Hinne conochiimoah uschmartische beschol ascher telech...
Behold, I am with you and protect you
Wherever you may go and will lead you
Back to this land, for I will not forsake you until
I have done what I promised unto you.
2
The Jewish Community Steinsfurt
The History of the Weil Family
Composed and commentary by Hans Appenzeller
Sinsheim - Steinsfiirt on September 1989
Author: City of Sinsheim
English Translation by Malve S. Bums
December 1999
Assembled and Edited by Marianne Weil Sekulow
Prepared for the Weil Family Reunion
June 21 and 22, 2002 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
3
TABLE OF CONTENT
1
1
1
5
■
Tntrr»Hiir‘tir»n
6
Qtfiti«tip<i
7
Synagogue and its Council
Schooling and religious introduction of Jewish children
10
1
Participation of the Jewish population in business life
14
m
Jewish citizens and their homes
17
1
Their view of state and society
26
1
Grain merchant Dr. Hermann Weil
Home childhood and professional career
29
1
Humanitarian contributions
34
^7
Xif»« tn hi« hr»mp
35
m
Founding of further education school 1923/25
36
1
Erection of the mausoleum in Waibstadt
39
Dedication of the Weil-Mausoleum
46
1
Eulogy for Dr. H.C. Hermann Weil
49
m
Adolf Weil - pillar of the Jewish Community
53
Emigration before 1933
56
1
Emigration after 1933
57
1
Relationship of the population with its Jewish Citizens
63
1
Family Tree of the Family Weil
4
77-95
1
1
1
The history of the Jewish community Steinsfurt is largely identical with the history of the
family Weil.
The patriarch Loew Weil — he called himself Loew Feis at iSrst — was known in Steinsfurt
as a horse dealer around 1 770. He and his two brothers Moises and Isaac are the ancestors
of all the Weils in Steinsfurt. In the families Reiss and Kahn the wives were Weil
daughters. All Steinsfurt Weil families had many children. That is why sons began to leave
for the cities or emigrated to America for economic reasons from 1850 onward. Most
daughters also married out of town.
The political situation after 1933 forced the remaining Steinsfurt Jews to emigrate. Thus,
the descendants of the family Weil live today in the USA, Argentina, Brazil, England,
Australia, and Israel among other countries.
Through industriousness and ability, they have succeeded everywhere. In Steinsfurt, they
lived their lives as solid trades and business people. They always took an active part in
public and community life.
This book wants to bring the history of the Jewish community Steinsfurt — the contribution
of its members — alive. The history of the Jewish community is a piece of Steinsfurt's
history.
I give warm thanks for their help and support in making this book possible to my friends
Kurt Weil, Porto Alegro, Brazil
Dr. Jorge Frohmann Buenos Aires, Argentina
Dr. Carlos Weil, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Steinsfurt, September 1989
Hans Appenzeller
5
Steinsfiirt records mention Jews for the first time in 1522. Steinsfiirt had 476 citizens then,
broken down as follows:
283
Reformed
in 58 households
80
Lutherans
in 17 households
107
Catholics
in 22 households
6
Jews
in 1 household
After the Thirty-years War the Chronicle records:
1659: 165 inhabitants - no Jews
In 1688 we find mention of a Jew named Isaak Wolf who worked as an interpreter for the
French while they occupied Philippsburg and levied contributions fi-om Sinsheim and
neighboring towns.
In the chronicles of mayors (or baileys) and legal administrators for the village of Steinsfiirt
this same Isaak Wolfis recorded as having presided over court proceedings in 1708.
In 1756 we find mention of Salomon Joseph as a 'protected' Jew.
In 1 803 four Jewish families are established in Steinsfiirt whose children attend the Jewish
school and synagogue in Rohrbach.
6
Statistics
Percentage of the Jewish population:
1825 = 35 people
1875= 80 people
1900= 61 people
1925 = 36 people
1933 = 33 people
The prayer and communal hall was originally in the Lerchenneststrasse (lark’s nest street) 2
the property of Joseph Weil. The synagogue of Dickwaldstrasse was built in 1893. There
was also a mikva, a ritual women's bath.
At the enforced end of the Jewish community in 1933 due to the political events of 1933,
the synagogue became private property.
Synagogue
Due to the rapid growth of the Jewish community Steinsfurt from 1870 to 1890 the old
prayer hall in the Ehrstaedter Street (today Lerchenneststrasse) on Leopold's Weil property
became too small. There was also the desire to have one's own synagogue. So early in 1893
the synagogue-council of Steinsfurt submitted an application for the building of an Israelite
prayer house to the grand-dukedom of the district of Sinsheim. The financing of the
building was to be through the holding of a lottery.
Gold and silver wares and other valuables amounting to 2,556 Mark were offered on bid.
4,000 tickets were offered (including 400 free tickets) at 1. Mark per ticket. The
redemption of tickets was carried out under the supervision of a notary public and three
competent citizens.
To this end the synagogue council suggested
1 . Town scribe Wuerfel
2. Orphan director Fischer
3. Merchant G. Brecht
With the proceeds from the sale of the tickets and donations of Jewish citizens (even from
overseas) the synagogue could be built.
7
•i V?
Synagogue council; Names of the Jewish men eligible to be elected and to elect
members to the council.
1 . Grumbein Liebmann
2. Kahn Simon
3. Weil Aaron
4. Weil Josef
5. Weillsak
6. Weil Karl
7. Weil Louis
8. Weil Moses
9. Weil Moritz
10. Weil Veis
On July 9, 1 890, Adolf Weil was sworn in - by oath of hand - as member of the
synagogue council at the (ireat-Dukedom in the district of Sinsheim.
X
Grand-Dukedom District Sinsheim
9"^ July 1890
The obligation of Adolf Weil
From: Steinsfurt
As: Member of the synagogue-council in Steinsfurt
Adolf Weil of Steinsfurt as of Today Synagogue Advisor takes over the tasks with
this document. Known to the town-mayor of Steinsfurt.
Signature of Adolf Weil
This is the acknowledgement-document of Adolf Weil as the synagogue-council-
member in Steinsfurt. July 9, 1 890
9
School Hours and
Religious Instruction
Of the Jewish Children Since they did not have a school on their own, Jewish
children were allowed to attend one of the local schools and
could not be refused by two other religious schools. Jewish
children were required to attend at least four years before
leaving school, specifically, two years at the Protestant and
the other two at the Catholic school.
Jewish religious instruction were given in two classes at the
Protestant school
On Saturday from 1pm to 5pm
On Wednesday from 3pm to 5pm
- Altogether for six hours per week.
Mr. L. Rosenhain taught religion, receiving 160 Mark per
year. After his departure, Majer Friedmann from Hoffenheim
took over. Ferdinand Hanauer was the Jewish teacher (taught
Judaism) in Steinsflirt. He died in 1 920.
Number of Jewish children:
Class
’S ear 18" 1/72
Year 1872/73
^ ear 1873/74
I
6
9
7
II
6
6
6
III
4
3
3
IV
1
2
3
Total:
17
20
19 .
Many Jewish children attended the Realschule in Sinsheim
Comparison to other students:
Class
Year 18"! '72
^■ear 18^2/73
^ ear 1873/74
Christian
208
212
215
Jewish
17
20
19
The mixed school for all denominations was established in Steinsfurt in 1878.
10
The following Jewish children attended this school at this time:
Weil, Albert
son of Karl Weil
Weil, Gustav
bom March 4, 1 864
son of Aaron Weil
Weil, Jela
bom August 22 1 865
daughter of Louis Weil
Weil, Jenny
bom August 1 5, 1 865
daughter of Jsak Weil
Weil, Jetta
bom January 20, 1 865
daughter of Joseph Weil
Weil Mina
bom December 16, 1864
daughter of Moses Weil
Page 12: Directory of Jewish children who attended the school in Steinsflirt in 1 877
Page 13: Regulation of school days off on Jewish holy days.
n
NOTATION
Of the Israelite children who at this time attend the mixed public school of
Steinsfurt:
A. Boys
1. Weil Albert, bom 1859, January 16, of Karl Weil
2. Weil Gustav, bom 1 864, March 4, of Aaron Weil
B. Girls
1. Weil Jela, bom 1865, august 22, of Louis Weil
2. Weil Jenny, bom 1865, August 15, of Jsak Weil
3. Weil Jetta, bom 1865 January 20, of Joseph Weil
4. Weil Mina, bom 1864, December 16, of Moses Weil
Extract, Steinsfurt, December 1 877
Stoberle, Headmaster(or Principal)
12
Mosbach, 21®* of July, 1877
Nr. 2627 Concerning school attendance of Israelite
students on their holy days and the Sabbath.
We notify the local council of Steinsflirt of the following decisions by the grand
dukedom school superintendent under the highest authority of the decree 1 0, 227 from the
tenth of this month regarding the above:
In consent with the grand dukdom council of the Israelites the following decisions
were taken regarding school attendance of Israelite students on Israelite holy days and the
Sabbath:
1 . Mudehts ate to be excused?
§iQin;^hpöl
a. on both days of the New Year's feast
b. on the day of atonement
c. on the first and seventh day of the Pesach feast
d. on the first day of the Wochenfest (pentacost)
e. on the first day of the Succoth
2. Israelite students are requested to attend on other Israelite holy days and
Sabbaths, but are exempted, whenever possible and upon request of their
parents or guardians, from attending school during public religious services on
the Sabbath.
bpys ^ girls aire not to’ Be
the Sabbath if that is against the wishes of their parents and guardians.
Care is to be taken during the scheduling of classes that Christian education is held
at the same time as the Israelite service whenever possible, and that only those lessons are
scheduled on the Sabbath which do not require homework or tests from which the Israelite
students would be excluded.
It is expected that the local council will instruct and supervise the teachers accordingly.
13
y
Participation of the Jewish Society in Business Life
Jews had to pay special taxes, for example, they had to pay protection and Hussar money.
Sample page from the financial records of Steinsfurt of 1 840:
1 Name
Profession
Share/Bill
Debt 1
Reiss, Moses
Tradesman
1,90011.
311. 03kr.
Weil, Samuel (Loeb)
Tradesman
2,410fl.
311. 49kr.
Weil, Anselm (Loeb)
Tradesman
1,31011.
2fl 05kr.
Weil Josua
Tradesman
1,11011.
111. 48kr.
Weil, Isak Loeb
Realtor/broker
98011.
Ifl. 48kr.
Weil, Isak Moses
Innkeeper (rooms)
1,55011.
211. 28kr.
Weil, Nathan Loeb
Butcher
2,270fl.
3fl. 36kr.
Income statistics of the town's Jewish citizens:
1781
Aron Feist
Asset 50011.
Loew Feist
Asset 400fl.
1791
Aron Feist
Asset 1 ,200fl (no protection money payable)
Loew Feist
411 protection money
Moises Feist
4fl protection money
1808
Loew Feist
(no protection money payable)
Isak Feist
Asset boon.
Nathan Loew
Asset 80011.
FI. is a florin, which is any of various gold or silver coin of Europe
Kr. Is a former German gold coin worth 10. marks
Sigmund(Mousche) Weil (left) with his horse that is being shoed by blacksmith
Friedrich Gilbert (right) in the Ehrenstaedterstrasse. Photo: 1923
15
Steins flirt
TOTAL SALE/LIQUIDATION
Due to the departure of my son-in-law our common manufacturing
store will be offered to exceptionally cheap prices for sale to speed up
the liquidation and we hope for gracious response.
Respectfully,
LOUIS WEIL
All sorts of the finest FLOURS
Nr.O at 18, Nr.l at 16, Nr. At 15
And Nr.4 at 1 3 Pennies per pound
Further genuine Virginian Horsetooth maize
at 9Pfg per pound, also clean
And three- leaved CLOVER SEED
as well as hemp seed
MORITZ WEIL
In Steinsfurt
NOTICE
Nr. 5924 in the register 1 83 of the
business register is registered
The firm Moritz Weil in Steinsfurth.
Owner is Moritz Weil in Steinsfurth
husband of Regina Levy of Herrheim
near Landau
, — 1 1
Partnership:M&S Weil in Steinsfurt was
today entered; the commercial partnership is
no longer in existence, the part-owner Samuel
Weil was named as liquidator.
Sinsheim, The 3 1 march 1 890
Office of the Grand-Dukedom
Schindler
SAMUEL WEIL
Owner: Siegfried Weil
Grains/Flour/Feed
STEINSFURT
Telephone 391 Exchg Sinsheim-Elsenz
Postal account: 1016 Karlruhe
Bank account: Unitedbank Sinsheim
16
JEWISH CITIZENS AND THEIR HOUSES
House of Samuel Weil
Steinsfurter Street 29
(Wandres)
Weil, Samuel
* 09.05.1859
+ 03.01.1933
married on 15.05.1887
Bertha, nee Weil
* 16.03.1863
+ 12.06.1923
Samuel Weil was a publican and produce merchant; he ran an inn in his house for many
years.
Children: Getta
Flora
Paula
Lilly
Friedrich
Johanna
Alice
Josef-Siegmund
*28.03.1889
*01.12.1890
*17.06.1892
*21.09.1893
*27.06.1895 died in WWI
*03.01.1897
*26.02.1902
*12.12.1904
It is said that Samuel Weil was an extraordinary strong man. He could cat an entire goose
all by himself and delighted in bacon, liverwurst, and the hams from local farmers.
17
House of Samuel Weil
Steinsfurter Straße 29
(today called Wandres)
Siegfried Weil
* 06/20/1900
+ Feb. 1941
oo 12/28/1927
Johanna (maiden name: Weil)
* 01/03/1897
+ 03/17/1972
House of Siegmund Weil
(Mousche)
Hauptstraße 153
(today called Steinsfurter Straße)
Siegmund Weil
* 02/15/1862
+ 11/22/1925
oo with Cerlina (maiden name:
Heidenheimer)
* 01/22/1864 in Berlichingen
Siegfried imd Johanna Weil führten das Geschäft des Samuel Weil.
Kinder; Berta Weil, *5.04.1929
* »
Siegfried Weil was a cattle dealer.
Children:
Frieda * 04/06/1892 .
Hugo * 04/30/1899
Ella * 08/08/1906
Julius * 05/28/1893
Selma * 05/26/1905
Cerlina Weil emigrated with her children to New York on
October 16, 1936.
IK
House of Adolf Weil
Ehrstädterstraße 69
(today called Lerchenneststraße)
oo with Janette (maiden name:
Berwangen)
* 04/11/1870
+ 05/27/1965 in Buenos Aires
Children:
Josef * 04/15/1891 + 1964 in Buenos Aires
Isidor * 08/12/1893 + 01/07/1965 in Buenos Aires
Max * 05/1 5/1 897 + 1 2/1 6/1 977 in Buenos Aires
Flora * 05/12/1900 + 04/12/1987 in Buenos Aires
Kurt * 04/26/1902 + lives in Porto Alegro/Brazil
* 04/26/1902
Adolf Weil
* 08/26/1859
+ 11/15/1931
Adolf Weil was dealing agricultural products.
19
Leopold Weil
* 04/03/1863
oo with Klara (maiden name:
Kern)
* 1 1/10/1870 in Wollenburg
+ 11/15/1938
Children:
Irma * 10/28/1894
Josef * 06/18/1899
Karl * 10/24/1905
Josef Weil was managing his father’s business until he
emmigrated to America. He died on September 4, 1 949.
He was married to Alice (maiden name: Frank)
* 02/16/1905 in Kehl. She lives now in a German- Jewish
retirement home in Chicago.
Children: Susanne Karola * 07/18/1933
House of Leopold Weil
Ehrstädterstraße 2
(today called Lerchenneststraße 2)
20
Josef
Hauptstraße
(today called Steinsfiirter Str. 21)
Josef Weil
* 12/24/1868
+ 09/15/1923
Josef Weil was a cattle dealer.
oo with Mathilde (maiden name: Children:
I
I
I
flefwangef») A\ ^ p
* 04/23/1880 in Hemsbach
+ 11/30/1967 in St. Louis
House of Karl Weil
Hauptstraße
Karl * 03/03/1904
Max * 06/07/1905
Jssi * 10/23/1906
Leo *01/17/1908
Stefan* 07/15/1910
+ December 1 966
+ 09/04/1970
+ 05/13/1979
F 02/06/1983
+ 08/22/1976
Mathilde and her children emigrated to North America on
(today called Steinsfurter Str. 21) February 2, 1940.
Karl Weil
* 03/21/1904 Karl Weil was a cattle dealer and farmer.
+ December 1966 in America
Children
oo with Sophie (maiden name: Ruth * 1 1/06/1931
Eichtersheimer) Marianne * 06/25/1933
* 01/20/1907 in Ittlingen
He emigrated through Italy to North America on
Febniary 2, 1940.
21
'"m ' !■ i'l.i
House of Gustaf Weil
Adersbacherstraße
(today called Dickwa Id Straße)
Gustaf Weil
* 03/30/1871
+ 10/15/1952 in Sao Paulo
oo with Telli (maiden name: Children:
Hobbach) Ilse * 03/30/1912 + 06/23/1961 in sao Paulo
* 05/1 1/1883 in Großeicholsheim Leopold * 04/02/1917 + 03/25/1966 in New York
+ 02/02/1948 in Sao Paulo Siegfried * 07/30/1918 + 06/07/1972 in New York
Flora * 03/22/1922 lives in Sao Paulo
22
House of Moritz Weil
1 IauptstraJ3e
(today called Steinsfurterstraße 43)
Moritz Weil
* 08/28/1849
+ 12/22/1923
MoriU Weil war Händler
oo with Regina (maiden name:
Children:
Levi)
Karo line
* 08/27/1885
* 03/25/1852 in Herxheim
Elsa
* 07/30/1886
+ 05/08/1928
Julius
* 1 1/15/1888 died in action on 05/14/1916
In Angers/France while serving
in the Royal Prussian Fiissilier-
Rgt. Nr.40, 4"' Kpn.
Jenny
* 12/14/1889
Selma
* 03/21/1893
23
House of Gustav Weil
Hauptstraße
(today called Steinsfurter Str. 28)
Gustav Weil
* 03/04/1864
oo with Mathilde (maiden name:
Children:
Menges)
Regina
* 06/18/1893
+ Concentration Camp
♦ 07/06/1870 in Michelfeld
Johanna
* 09/27/1895
+ Concentration Camp
+ in Johannesburg/South Africa
Siegfried
* 06/20/1900
+ 1941 in Porto Alegro
Julius
* 10/06/1902
Gertrude
* 10/08/1907
Max
* 04/24/1911
+ 1974
House of Max Kahn
Haupt strafie
(today called Steinsfurter Str. 27)
Max Kahn
* 10/23/1877
+ 1944 in New York
Max Kahn war Handelsmann
oo with Mina (maiden name:
Wimpfheimer)
* 04/04/1879 in Ittlingen
+ 1956 in Bronx/U.S.A.
Children:
Sophie * 10/15/1909
Berta *09/15/1910
Greta * 10/07/1913
Sophie was a teacher. After she was not allowed anymore
to teach in April 1933, she emigrated to America on
September 1 1, 1937.
25
House of Moritz Eichtersheimer
Bahnhofstraße
(today called Anbachstraße 30)
The Eichtersheimer family emigrated on April 13, 1938,
to Columbia/Georgia.
Moritz Eichtersheimer
* 06/08/1904
oo with Beatrix (maiden name:
Gunthmann)
* 05/15/1900
Moritz Eichtersheimer was a construction material dealer.
Children:
Arnold * 01/23/1934
Hans-Erich * 08/25/1935
INTERACTION OF THE JEWISH CITIZENS TO STATE AND SOCIETY
The Jews in Steinsfiirt took an active part in the public and social life of Steinsflirt.
Until 1933 there was a Jewish Society of men and women. Thanks to flmding by
Hermann Weil, his mother Fanny Weil, (nee Goetter) could provide financial
assistance to the poor citizens of Steinsfiirt until her death in 1914. The Josef Weil
Widow Fund existed fi"om 1910 to 1920. According to a council resolution of 1920
income Ifom interest was still distributed to the poor at that time. After Fanny Weil’s
death Janette Weil, (nee Kirchheimer), continued charitable contributions.
Jewish citizens also participated in club life. Moses Weil, for example, headed up the
men’s chorus ’’Germania.” Gustav Weil was a member of the finance committee for
many years. Julius Weil was a member of the first soccer team ’’Phoenix;” he died in
1916 while serving in WWI. Josef Weil (Red Sepp’l) was an active soccer player for
years.
Moritz Eichtersheimer served for many years as secretary and treasurer of the Bikers
Club ’’Forward” of Steinsfiirt.
During the First world War Jewish men fulfilled their duty to Kaiser and Reich.
On the war memorial we find the following names engraved;
Friedrich Weil
bom 27*'’ June 1 895
died first of July 1916
Julius Weil
bom 15*'’ of Nov 1888
died 14*'’ of May 1916
There is also a memorial tablet in the synagogue.
u.The attitude of Jewish citizens toward the State is convincingly portrayed in the
E^ollections of Kurt Weil who emigrated in 1923 and lives in Porto Alegro, today 87
years old:
”My brothers Isidor o and Max volunteered for service in WWI because my dear
father wanted them to. My father supported Kaiser and Reich with ’’heart and hand
for my fatherland, ” turned all his gold in for iron and became so poor during the
inflation that his sons Jose and Isidoro had to support him. ”
27
He goes on.
”My blessed father (Adolf Weil) was very popular in Steinsfurt, he advised farmers
and helped the poor. He was a great supporter of the Kaiser and Grand Duke-
prayers wer^ always said in the synagogue for Kaiser and Reich, the relationship to
Catholics and Protestants was always good, Jewish holy days were fully respected by
the populdtibh. ”
^fax Weil was a volunteer pilot with the Marines. He was stationed in northern
France. When the revolution broke out in late 1918, he flew his plane to Steinsflirt
and landed in Wiesental. The damaged propeller of his machine can still be found in
Steinsfurt today.
Isidor Weil volunteered with the infantry.
The other Jewish men also fiilfilled their service to Kaiser and Reich. Josef Weil
(Red Seppl) was already a soldier at 18 years of age (1917/18)
The business for Jewish citizens was always good. Despite the threat of reprisals and
orders to the contrary, most Steinsfiirters upheld their relationship with Jewish
enterprises. Looking through business records of the time, we can see that a
Steinsfurter craftsmen still did business with Moritz Eichtersheimer in 1937.
28
Grain Wholesaler Dr. Hermann Weil
Ancestral Home, Childhood and Professional Career
Dr. Hermann Weil was bom in Steinsflurt cm September 18,1 868, the taith of thirteen diildren of the
married couple Josef Weil and Fanny, nee Goetter. He came from a Icmg line of grain merchants. His
grandfather, Samuel Weil, was a merchant and so was his fathCT, both were grain merchants. His great-
grandfather Loeb Weil was known as a horse trader in Steinsfurt around 1 755.
It seemed entirely appropriate for Hermann to opt for a business course after having completed
elementary school in Steinsfurt and junior high sdiool in Sinsheim. Whetho" he did so because of his
father’s preference for the practical or his extraordinary talent, can’t be determined today; he couldn’t
stay for the Einjaehrige (degree before final degree from high school). When he was fifteen he was
apprenticed to tiie Mannheim grain firm Isidor Weismann & Co. There his extraordinary talent was
quickly recognized and he was given responsible jobs, which took him abroad to Switzerland, the
Balkans and Belgium.
At twenty he went to the United States with his brothers Samuel (Sam) and Ferdinand, following his
older brothers Leopold and Gustav who had emigrated a few years before. Soon he moved on to
Buenos Aires with his brothers Sam and Ferdinand, where they became grain merchants. Here
Hermann founded the firm Brothers Weil—known in Argöitina as Hermanos Weil & Cie--whidi soon
became world famous.
In 1 896 Hermann Weil married the daughter of his former boss Isidor Weismann, Rosa Weismann
from Mannheim. She was his only wife. At the time the brothers Weil founded their firm in Buenos
Aires, the grain trade was in its infancy in Argentina. The market was very promising. Their German
background from Mannheim was also helpful. Mannheim was well known as a centCT for the trade.
Renowned firms such as Hirsch, Bunge and Bom carried out their trade in grain from there.
Together with these firms, the Brothers Weil took over 90% of the Argentinian trade in grain. Their
yearly funiTover (ordCTs) ranged in the billions of dollars. The Broth'ers Weil became world famous.
29
The diverse talents of Dr. Weil, his love of fatherland and attitude toward the Kaiser can already be
seen when he was young.
At a graduation ceremony of the Higher Buergherschool Sinsheim in 1 882, as a third year gymnasium
student, he recites his own poem on the Seven-Year War.
The Seven-Year War
(My first try at poetry.)
When the Slesian War was over
To the great ^ame of Austria
And Frederick's renown mounted.
He took all Slesia as his pledge.
But Empress Theresa
Could not forsake Slesia
For every time she saw a Slesian
Her heart would almost break.
She oft shed bitter tears for them
Because her favorite Country
Her valiant and truest friends
Were occupied with harshest hands.
In pain she turned in her deep hurt
To Madame-Pompadour an old friends in France
To get through her to Elisabeth's soul
And her Saxon heart for clemency.
Prussia also was not idle
And England sums of money
To help the Prussian state.
Afraid for his safety
Fritz now declared the battle
And in the all too lengthy was
He finally won in the saddle
Even he had not much might
And the enemy was strong
His faith in victory was right
His enemies were wrong
Steadfastly striving for justice
He brought us honor and victory
And gave the valiant Prussians
Much pride with all his jousting
30
ln the year 1900 the firm employed 3000 people and had business establishments in all strategic grain
areas of Argentina as well as branches in Holland, Fngland, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Iliey
also owned a ship chartering business. Up to sixty ships cruised the world’ oceans on behalf of the firm
Weil.
Hermann Weil had to curtail his activities in Argentina for health reasons. Already in 1907 he sent his
son Felix, bom in 1898, to Frankfurt so he could attend the Gymnasium there (College preparatory
school that students enter at age ten for nine years after a qualifying exam).
Photograph of Dr. Hermann Weil, his wife Rosa
and children Felix and Anita
II
In 1908 he moved his residence to Frankfurt. The couple also had a daughter, called Anita (1901 to
1951).
Brother Ferdinand also moved to Frankflirt and the two brothers directed business from there. Sam
stayed in Buenos Aires and ran the firm there. In the meantime, Sam had married Alice Weismann, a
sister of Rosa Weismann. Within a span of twenty years the trade apprentice from Steinsfurt had risen
to become a wholesaler in the international grain trade. It was an extracH-dinary rise. His illness, then in
the beginning stages, forced him to withdraw from the business increasingly. His wife, too, was
stricken with a serious disease and died of cancer in 1913.
After his return from overseas, Weil concerned himself quite actively with political developments in
Germany. During the first World War he was an advisor to institutes for world trade, later he even
provided expert advice to Kaiser Wilhelm II. His worldwide connections greatly helped him with that.
He was well coimected to the highest ranks in political and military circles of the German Reich. The
Kaiser paid great attention to the political and economic concepts of the grain wholesaler Weil and
appropriated some for himself. We shall refer only briefly to the fact that Kaiser Wilhelm and Weil
were wrong in their assessment of the world situation. The U-Boat war did not bring about the
surrender of England, nw could England be starved into capitulation.
Weil Hermanos Y Cia
Soc. An. Comerial Inmobiliaria Y financiera
Direccion Telegrafica
Weil Hermanoa-Baires
Business Printing of Herman Weil, ^enos Aires Argentina
, Buenos aires
Corrientes 456
32
Hermann Weil Foundation. A social science foundation
of great importance to the University of Frankfurt and the
planned Academy of Work has recently been founded by
Herman Weil of Frankfurt with an initial endowment of
200,000 Mark and has been approved by the Prussian
government under the name "Herman Weil Foundation.”
According to its charter it is to support research and
teaching in the social sciences, especially labor law and
contract law (Arbeitsverfassung). Half of the yearly
income of the foundation will go to the Frankfurt Social
Science Museum for the expansion of its widely used
archival and library collections. The rest will support
qualified students and young scientists with funds, freed of
any party line, in their social science studies, particularly
those that relate to the work of the university’s Institute for
Labor Law. By concentrating all its forces and means, the
Institute wants to further in practical and theoretical ways
the study of labor law in its entirety, based on individual
and public rights, with special attention to its social and
economic conditions and effects. It will form a link
between the legal, the economic and social science
faculties of the University of Frankfurt as well as a link to
the Social Science Museum. It would also fulfil an
important mission within the framework of an Academy of
Work since it envisions next to lectures, seminars,
collections and publications on labor law, practical training
courses for entrepreneurs, government employees,
employees and their union functionaries. The' Prussian
Secretary for Science, the Arts, and general Education
welcomed the establishment of the foundation with great
hope. Its expansion is dependent, however, on the
charitable inclinations of those closest involved.
After the war was lost, Hermann Weil withdrew from politics. He concentrated on the
rebuilding of his business enterprise, even expanded it. He participated in the real
estate and meat packing business. His new trade and business relationships extended
to the Soviet Union.
33
Humanitarian and Social Works
After turning away from politics— probably because of the lost war and its terrible
aftermath- Weil shifted his interest more and more to humanitarian work-which
earned him the reputation as one of the greatest and most generous supporters of the
University and City of Frankfurt after his death. He was a successful businessman and
very wealthy. Accordingly, he saw it as his duty to help where help was needed. His
business, too, recovered very quickly after the war, especially in Argentina, a country
that remained friendly towards Germany. The British had to release his confiscated
assets very quickly since he was both, a German and an Argentinean citizen.
to make many charitable contributions. Alongside the many
gifts of earlier years, Weil discusses a number of institutions he wishes to support in a
letter to the Lord Mayor of Frankfurt, dated February 1923-i.e. shortly before the
onset of inflation. Here is a direct quote, ’^*haye bee^^^ W for some
time and would have done much more had I not been disgusted with the shenanigans
of the anti-Semites, Rathenau and the Erzberger murderers and specifically the
response of the courts to those. I tell myself that a people that tolerates such outrages
and such judges deserves no pity. Nevertheless, in the face of the current, hopeless
situation, my reservations become moot. The German people are being oppressed,
driven out and robbed just like Jews, so my heart tells me ‘help the German people,
they should not suffer because of the misdeeds of a few mad men and murdering
thugs. That is why I want to give help and am bending the ears offcehtds overseasi
Weil helped generously and gave money to many institutions. In his letter to
Frankfurt’s Lord Mayor, quoted above, he mentions some twenty-three organizations
he is supporting:
The Society for the Poor, the so-called Winter appeal. Children’s Appeal, War
Cripple Care, the Institute for the Blind, orphanages, the Infectious Diseases Home,
the Red Cross, poor artists and students and many more... all together in the amount of
120 million Mark, distributed among them.
For many years he also supported the University of Frankfurt and was founder of the
Institute for Social Sciences in Frankfurt, which he financed for years in addition to
the initial endowment of 20,000 Mark (post inflation Mark). At first, the Institute
upheld the name ’’Hermann Weil Foundation.” Its mission was the support of
research and teaching in the social sciences, with special emphasis on labor law and
Arbeitsverfassung.” The Institute became known, then as now, as the ’’Frankfurter
Schule.”
34
BfiasaaseL. i a great- benefactor for the imil^ieiSity h©
hbnoratyot^^^f i^Vankfurt and the university bestowed m honoiÄj^^octorate ©n
him.
The high-minded, humanitarian disposition of Dr. Hermann Weil deserved special
recognition. We should also mention that he converted his private villa in Frankfurt
into a military hospital for wounded officers as early as 1915.
Connection to His Homeland
The biography of Dr. Hermann Weil would be incomplete if one left out his ties to his
hometown Steinsfiirt. He stayed close to his childhood home and to his relatives.
Whenever time allowed, he returned to his parents’ home where his brother Adolf
Weil lived.
Only one month before his death he was in Steinsfiirt. Many of the older citizens
remembered the visits by Hermann Weil; neighbors reported that he always asked for
a drink fi-om the Reis well when he returned home. Together with his brothers Sam
and Ferdinand he made provisions for the support of his relatives. The children of his
brothers and sisters received contributions for their dowry or professional education.
After the death of his brother, Ferdinand this commitment was renewed with his
widow Hella and another fund for siblings was instituted which assured his siblings a
fixed life income. The endowment for the fund was 170,000Mark invested at 6%
payable (belastend) by Hermann, Sam and Hella Weil, a third each.
The Josef Weil Widow fond was created to allow his mother to support poor citizens.
This fond was still active in 1920. Local clubs, such as the chorus and the bicycle
club, were also supported by Hermann Weil.
In 1913, he made a gift of one thousand Goldmark to the Catholic community for the
construction of a Kindergarten.
35
Building of the Prep School 1923/1925
An especially generous gift to his hometown was the institution of a further education
and cooking school. It was a very unusual building for its time. A quote fi-om the
school administration attests, "A native son of Steinsfurt, now living in Frankfurt,
wants to give an education building to Steinsfurt. The building will meet the
challenges of the time in a most unusual way, according to the sketches...” and later,
"it is a magnificent gift which must not slip away from the school administration.
The school was opened at Easter 1925. The town Steinsfurt has an imposing and
modem school building, including a teacher’s apartment which it could not have
erected on its own. Next to the continuing education school, it also housed a trade
school.
Countv School Office Heidelberg, June 19, 1923
Nr. 1490
Concerning the erection of a further education school
building in Steinsfurt
We enclose the building files for your decision with the
respectful request to advise the county office Sinsheim by
long distance telephone of your decision so that
construction can begin immediately.
This is an urgent matter. It concerns a magnificent gift that
must not slip away from the community and school
administration. We approve of the plans that we discussed
with the architect beforehand. The amendments required by
the Building Office have been incorporated. We do not
enclose written expert testimony since the representative
from the Building Office had no substantial objections and
since we are dealing with a gift. We advised the architect of
the suggestions from the Building Office in writing as you
can see from the attached letter of May 17, 1923. The
county doctor also did not voice any objections; see
attachment.
VO 20.
In session: Steinsfurt, the 10 of August 1927
Before the community council:
Present are: Town mayor Birkel as Foreman, the city council men, Hummel, Wollwer,
Stockenberger, kramer, klinger, Wetzel and Gilbert, also town clerk Eisiermann.
To today's meeting came above named council-members to consider, and finalize.
Concerning the Cook and Preparatory School
We agree on a signboard to be affixed for the donor and builder of the Cdbk-and-
Preperatory-school of Dr. Herman Weil, Frankfurt.
Signature of the community council
Resolution by the town council regarding the placement of a
Memorial plaque on the former cooking school; August 1927
The former cooking school (erectedl 923-1 925) was recently renovated at
considerable cost, financed in part by the town’s beautification project. Founder and
builder of this cooking and further education school was Hermann Weil, Frankfurt.
OV Appenzeller informed us that he unearthed a decision by the town’s council from
August 8, 1927 during his research, which made it clear that a plaque was to be
erected for the donor and builder of the school.
OV Appenzeller suggested this 56-year-old resolution be enacted while renovations .
were being carried out. This would also provide an opportunity to honor Dr. Hermann
Weil’s social contributions to Steinsfurt.
The suggestion was adopted with one abstention.
April 11, 1983 town supervisor (Appenzeller) recording secretary (A.Hug)
Witnesses/Urkundspersonen (Jochen Barth, Wanda Wild).
Copy of the community council's decision from November 4, 1 983 about placing the
memorial Plaque, (this was never accomplished-note above- and is after 50 years still
not done)
37
Preparaton School Stcinsfurt and memorial phupic for the Founder and Builder Dr. Herman Weil
In memory to the founder and builder of this House
Dr. Hennan Weil
Born I86S in Steinsfiirt and Died 1927 in Frankfurt
I his Preparatory School erected in 1923-1924 was for the youth of Stcinsfurt
('ookerv and (’ontinuin« Studies School
V. ^ • M .1 ^ :»; v
Erection of the Mausoleum in Waibstadt
Hermann Weil wished to be buried in the Jewish cemetery of Waibstadt near the
grave of his parents.
This was impossible for known reasons. Therefore, he erected a mausoleum for his
last resting-place directly adjoining the Jewish cemetery, only a few meters from his
parents’ grave. It was finished shortly before his death (October 3'^'* 1927) and was
dedicated in a festive ceremony on the occasion of Waibstadt’ s homecoming day
(Heimatfest) and placed in the care of the city of Waibstadt.
This homecoming day was a great event for the town of Waibstadt since the handing
over of the mausoleum had been planned for that day. The local reporter for the
regional paper Per Landbote (Rural Messenger) writes on September 3"**, 1927, ’’The
city of Waibstadt is celebrating a great homecoming day from September 3 to
September 5 of this year. The opening is the ceremonial placing of the Hermann-Weil
mausoleum, a mighty and monumental structure of rare beauty into the care of the
city. ”
Report on Homecoming Day Waibstadt and the ceremonial transfer of my
mausoleum to the care of the city of Waibstadt.
On September the 3^*^, 1927, we left Baden-Baden at nine-thirty for Steinsfurt and
arrived there at half past eleven. The whole family Weil awaited us: Adolf with Jenny
and their two sons Isi and Max who had arrived from Holland and Argentina, their
daughter Florle Frohmann with husband and daughter-in-law Hilde Weil from
Buenos Aires. Their son Kurt is currently in the Azores and Seppel in Argentina; his
associate Dinkelmann and his daughter, one of our former employees, represented
him. Then Babette Spiess with her son Max and his wife Mrs. Bert, Johanna Weil
with her son. Dr. Julius Weil, Samuel Weil with daughters Hansel, Alice and their
husbands, Carl Rosenfeld from Stuttgart, his son Dr. Seppel Weil from Karlsruhe, his
grand-daughter Liesbeth from Tuebingen, brother-in-law Abraham Lehmann with his
son, candidate Fritz Lehmann, my niece Flora May with her husband from Gross-
Bieberau, Leo Sichel, standing in for his wife, my niece Ida, as well as my nieces
Flora Hirschler from Ludwigshafen, my sister-in-law, town councillor Bemecker with
her daughter Lotti, I and my two ladies, Steffi Kraut and Lina Haas, maid Anna and
chauffeur Karl Hess; further a great number of close and not so close acquaintances
had gathered together.
39
All together 29 people came together for lunch in my father’s home at Adolfs and
Jenny’s; to assist the lady of the house there was a cook’s assistant, a serving girl and
the cook of Frohmann’s and other personnel to help out. Isi acted as wine steward and
Julius helped him. We gathered in the same room where a table had been set up to
accommodate all. The table was beautifully set with Adolf and Samuel s silver
cutlery. The service was fine, showing that the fears of certain people were
unnecessary.
Around half past three in the afternoon, we drove to Waibstadt where we were
greeted with a 21 -gun salute, church bells rang, and a concert by two choral groups.
One group sang’ ”Be greeted,” and the other the old, eternally beautiful homeland
song, ’’Beloved homeland, I salute you.” Then I placed the mausoleum into the care
of the city of Waibstadt and said, more or less, the folio wing,”Having been invited to
homecoming day, I accepted the invitation with pleasure, and give God special thanks
that I could do so. Only a few months ago, I almost set out on a trip to a much more
distant homeland. I must say, miracles still do happen; that I was able, after such an
illness, to travel for four weeks to Gastein and see some of the most beautiful spots of
Europe during four weeks of travel by car, is a miracle. Though I have organize my
affairs and prepared my last re.sting-place, I have gained new confidence that I may
still dwell on this beautiful earth for a while, God be willing. I am now turning this
beautiful building over to your keeping and when my time shall come, I will know
with joy that 1 can move in here and be your good neighbor. Steinsfurt and Waibstadt
are my hometowns, my parents are buried here, and my ashes will rest here, only ten
meters from their grave. I envision only three urns for this mausoleum. The urn of my
deceased wife, my own and that of my faithful caretaker Steffi Krauth. Let me say
here that it is due to her faithful care that I am still among you. With the inside
construction, I am not finished. There will be added a sculpture of me. Over my
wife's urn will be a wonderful statue of a Flora made of white marble. It is still in the
garden of my villa in Frankfurt. Over the three urns, I will place a Greek picture of
marble depicting Amor and Psyche, the symbol of eternal truth.
40
1 have not yet finished with the interior. My bust will be placed there and above the
urn of my wife a beautiful statue of Flora in white marble, which is now in the garden
of my villa in Frankfurt. Above the third urn I will place a noble, Greek marble
statue. Amor and Psyche, who stand for immortal loyalty. Or perhaps I may place a
counterpart to Flora there. Then I plan to erect an altar to the east with two
candelabras so that the room can serve those who wish to pray silently but also be
used for a prayer service. I do not wish to turn my last resting-place into a temple,
only a sacred place dedicated to the veneration of ancestors and to art. The current
generation is not so keen on tradition and veneration of ancestors as we are, but
nobody knows what the future may bring and if future generations may not find their
way back to ancient and beautiful customs. There is enough room for more urns
inside, but if this will happen or not I shall leave to the future.
Blessing of the Mausoleum in Waibstadt on September 3, 1927
When I set out to erect this structure four years ago, I did not do so from vain glory or
similar motives but was moved by an awareness of the terrible, economic depression
and the obligation of those who have means to provide work opportunities. That’s
when I set out to build this structure, a building for the Institute for Social Research in
Frankfurt a.M. and the elementary school in Steinsfiirt. You, as well as the Frankfurt
citizens, have always acted nobly toward me and with gratitude, not so the
Steinsfurter. When the county supervisor had the town build a road past the school,,
one of the adjacent landholders said in the presence of the mayor, ”If the Jew hadn’t
built the school, we wouldn’t have to pay for the road.” The burgermeister kept his
mouth shut, though it was he who had begged me on behalf of the town and the
Protestant and Catholic ministers to build this school, instead of the ’’luxury
buildings” I was proposing to build. The school which had been asked to be build by
the government so that, in reality, I eased their financial burden considerably. I
responded to his plea, asking only for a prepared building lot and the furnishing of
wood. Since the township of Steinsfiirt is blessed with rich forest holdings, it could
deliver the wood almost without cost. Instead of the original proposal of 50 000
Mark, my architect eventually demanded 92,000 Mark. After recovering from a
serious illness, I was finally able to double check bills and other building documents.
I found, even upon cursory review, that tile stoves had been ordered for 1 100 to 1200
Mark a piece instead of iron stoves that could have served just as well at a cost of 300
Mark a piece. I preferred to settle with the tile factory for 600 Mark and ordered iron
stoves at 300 Mark, still realizing savings of 300 Mark. The floor of the teacher’s
apartment had been covered with parquet instead of the customary floorboards. For
the floors of the classrooms, my architects had ordered compressed cork, the most
expensive covering. 1 believe that simple wooden, floors, furnished by the town at no
cost, would have been quite adequate. It was the same with blackboards, school
desks, benches etc. It had never been promised I would pay for the furnishings. I had
only promised to build a school, not furnish it. We never had a written contract. I was
going to give a gift, which could be revoked at any rrioment without breaching any
commitment. Whatever may still be outstanding, is to be made of wood, qud |h^j is
not my responsibility. Moreover, if the town of Steinsfiirt wishes to put up a plaque to
honor me they are very late indeed. But enough of that.
42
You have shown with this large gathering and beautiful music program that you want to
honor me, and I am very grateful for that. As I commend this beautiful structure to the
faithful care of your Mayor, I do so in the awareness that the entire city will see to it that
it will stay clean and unsullied. I know your city pastor and know that he holds
cemeteries sacred and has brought up his city children to be tolerant and respectful.
Jesus Christ was also a Jew and died for all of mankind. I have suffered much in my life
but kept my love for my homeland alive during my stays abroad. I have always worried
where I shall lay my tired head for my children are strewn all over the globe. It is
comforting to know that my ashes will rest in this idyllic spot on earth. I take pleasure in
thinking that my soul, if God so wills, will have a beautiful view of my homeland,
perhaps from the Mögen David up there, a wonderful view from the Katzenbuckel
(Cat’s Back) to the Koenigstuhl (King’s Seat in Heidelberg) von Steinsberg to Wimpfen.
I hand this beautiful building over to the public and designate as guardian the City of
Waibstadt and Mr. Glueck, the head of the Israelite interment society who will take care
that it will be kept sacred as befits its purpose, and that no hooligan will disturb its ^
peace. Dver the; last few years we have heard of such sacrileges in many places, we
know we are powerless against them, but 1 do not believe that anything like that couldx
happen within this diocese where the county administration, the mayor, bishop, pastof/
and his chaplain work hand in hand. In this spirit and with this wish I commend thef^',
building to your faithful care. The atrium I turn over to you, Mr. Mayor, with the special
charge that it be opened to all those who love and admire our beautiful nature. Opened
to all societies who love and respect the beautiful, true and good. Open to groups ;
dedicated to their homeland, song, and hiking clubs are all welcome here and >
appropriately so. All 1 ask, is that no political groups gather here, be they left or right
leaning, no swastikas, no steel helmets or the Red Front. I will leave it up to you what '
kind of speakers may speak from here, and whoever does so, fulfilling a patriotic duty
and without obstructing the government in power, is welcome, but discord is banned'
from this place of peace. I also offer this place to the Jews who may come here as a-i
place for prayer and worship, and if the Rabbi wants to address his community in this|i
place, I would be pleased. With these words I hand the key over to you and hope that
may not make use of my dwelling for a long time to come.
43
After that. The Mayor Replied
“Dear Doctor Weil! We are deeply touched by the noble words that you have just spoken.
We thank God that he had you recover fi'om such serious illness— as you have just said
yourself. Now that we see you looking so fresh, we can hardly imagine that you were so ill
only three months ago, that your nurse and your doctor fought for your life for hours. Now
you are revived— your speech is the best proof for it— that you may live a hundred years.
(Interruption by Dr. Hermann Weil: “Why should God take me at 100, if he can already
have me at 59!!”— refreshing laughter) You built this mausoleum with its wonderfully
modest and noble style, and only an expert can appreciate what an artistic, lasting, and
priceless monument has been created. The exquisite mosaic sky, the windows, the
magnificent marble floor, and the wainscot, all these are masterpieces of architecture and
artistic color composition. It is not up to me to describe the work, but I do want to tell you
that you are a blessing for our home country. During the hard times of economic
depression you gave hundreds of people the opportunity to earn a living and to work
artistically— people, who otherwise would have been broken by the hard times. This action
alone erected a memorial in our town and our hearts.
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Today we celebrate our home festival {Heimatfest), and our celebration is twofold, because
you are in our midst, and because you let us know that you have right of domicile
{Heimatrecht) here, which you intend to keep forever. You are a Waibstädter (i.e. citizen of
Waibstadt), because you are a landowner here, and even if you were not, we would make
you a citizen of our town, because we are proud to have a man like you in our community.
We are sorry, however, that some anger is weighing on you— and rightfully so. Yet, we
hope that the new mayor of Steinsfurt, who is not to blame for the sins of his predecessor,
will have the opportunity and power, to let you forget what happened, though it cannot be
undone. I am pleased that you promised to watch the parade tomorrow, because it gives öur
festivities a real blessing to see men, who traveled the world and who succeeded by their
own means, take pleasure in their hometown and its accomplishments. We hope that your
move to this exalted home will not take place for a long time, but whenever the time
comes, Waibstadt will mourn you like a father. The driveway so beautifully constructed by
you will be called Dr.-Hermann- Weil- Weg.
44
Then the chaplain took over and said:
“I have come here to speak as a private person. A religious inauguration was apparently not
planned. As I see, you have not asked a rabbi to attend, which you would have had you
wanted a religious ceremony. As a private person and as chairman of the ‘Heimatverein’, I
would like to express some words of gratitude. First of all I would like to thank you for the
kind manner, in which you remembered me. It feels good to hear such words of
acknowledgment, like those you dedicated to me, from people of another faith. It is true
that I see it as my task to teach tolerance, and I think that there is no class and race hatred
in my community. I also assure you that as long as I live and work here, you will not find
anyone who dares to come to this holy place with bad intentions. All cemeteries are sacred
to us, and the Jewish cemetery of Waibstadt, which has existed for centuries, is worthy of
being designated a historical monument. I have already asked the ‘Herr Landrat’* to speak
to the relevant authorities concerning this matter. — Lastly, let me thank you for the
permission to use the beautiful patio for musical and hometown festivities.
Then a fanfare was sounded and the choral society intoned the song “Wer hat dich du
schöner Wald”. ( Who built you, you mighty forest?)
*[Landrat= Administrative Head of the Landkreis, which is an area specified for
administrative jurisdiction]
I
I
Congregation of the Weil-mauseoleum
A cloudy Western sky let people worry that the beautiftil and sudden summer weather of •
Sunday last would take a turn for the worse. But the sky was only threatening. Thus
Waibstadt’s first homecoming day was allowed to take place in balmy weather and develop ■
its magnetism to the fullest. Already weeks before, the local paper that links our hometown •
to those away from it, beat the drums of advertising. Additionally, the festival brochure did
its part to make the festival known. Nine hundred beautifully printed brochures were sent ■
out of town.
Welcome to the Waibstädter from out of town
About 800 Waibstädter from out of town and their families responded to the call of their
hometown. They were pleased to come, you could read it in their happy faces. The first
ones (those hving in Upper Baden or further away) already arrived on Friday, when the
home community was still preparing for the festivities. Beginning on Saturday afternoon at
2 pm, the visitors who arrived by train, were greeted with bells and gun salutes in the
presence of the town fathers and representatives of the traffic and beautification committee.
The 6 o’ clock train brought people mainly from Karlsruhe, Mannheim, and Heidelberg;
their arrival was accompanied by music, with the locals forming a welcome line. There
were cheers and hellos all along Main Street and a shaking of hands that warmed the heart.
The influx of Waibstädters from the surrounding area, who arrived in the festively
decorated town on Sunday, could not be missed. The hometown gave them a hospitable
and happy welcome!
46
Transfer of the Weil Mausoleum
In the middle of the MiihJbergwood (mill hill forest) under the treetops of beeches and
oaks, a memorial arises in the immediate vicinity of the Israeli cemetery of Waibstadt that
was erected by Dr. Hermann Weil of Frankfurt a. M.
This monumental edifice of mother of pearl (Muschelkalk) consists of a large open
forecourt to be entered via an open staircase. In the back of the forecourt a second staircase
leads to a rounded structure, enclosed by a dome. This hall of precious brown marble under
a star-covered ceiling will be the mausoleum for Dr. Weil and his family. It is an
architectural marvel that
will stand the test of time. Its founder has thus contributed immensely to the edification of
the public, in addition to being a benefactor, not in the least by building the comfortable
access road to Mühlbergwood. It was thus a fitting thought to celebrate its dedication on
Homecoming Day. The following gathered together for the celebration: Dr. Hermann Weil
with family and friends, the council supervisor, the entire planning committee for
Homecoming Day, town pastor Kreuzer and former mayor Wacker. Many current and
former Waibstadter also attended. The choral society Sängerkranz began with a beautiful
song. Dr. Weil himself, a congenial (sympatico) man in his late fifties, gave the dedication
speech in the forecourt from his invalid chair. In simple language, he gave the reasons for
building the mausoleum in Waibstadt (his parents are buried in the cemetery near by). Dr.
Weil also freely spoke about the reason why the mausoleum was built outside the Jewish
cemetery. The speaker closed with a plea to the mayor to have the tovm protect the
monument from damage and desecration. He would have no objections to the public use of
the forecourt in good weather.
Mayor Spiegel thanked the founder with warm words of thanks for the confidence he had
expressed in the community and promised to fullfil his wishes. Pastor Kreuzer also pledged
to help protect the mausoleum — from piety alone. The impressive celebration was ended
with a beautiful song by the workers’ club Konkordia and a chorale by the music society
Waibstadt.
I
I
I
47
r
Post Scriptum
Dr. Herman Weil’s health deteriorated considerably during 1927. This — along with bad
news of the times — may have been the reason why he put his plans for Steinsfurt on hold.
He had intended to build a swimming pool at the “Röhring”, and an observation tower at
the “Galluseck”.
His early death shattered all plans.
The town of Steinsfurt put up a plaque at the school of further education a couple of years
ago, commemorating Dr. Weil and his magnanimous contribution.
“Josefsruh” and “Hermannsruh”, those popular places visited by Jewish citizens on their
religious holidays in the nearby forest, have been remodeled and today attract many senior
citizens and people seeking recreation.
The following obituaries acknowledge the generosity of Dr. Hermann Weil and bear
witness to his outstanding personality.
48
After a long ailment, Hermann Weil, a friend and sponsor of the art and sciences, who
pursued his charitable interests in Frankfurt during a time of inflation and war, died at the
age of 59. He came from Steinsflirt in Baden, graduated from highschool {Realschule) in
Sinsheim, and subsequently completed an apprenticeship in a local grain business. The
exceptionally talented young man had an urge to go abroad very early in his life; such was
his professional success that he founded a branch for a grain business in Buenos Aires in
1895. Three years later Weil became self-employed, and within a few years managed to
turn his business “Hermannos Weil & Co.” an international company. His outstanding
business talent, his farsightedness, and his ability to make quick, determined decisions,
took his company’s to a lead position in the world grain market.
Unfortunately his health could not take the climate. In 1907 he came back to Europe as a
sick man and settled down in Frankfurt a. M., where he lived in quiet solitude in his villa
on the Ginnheimer Heights. He followed closely developments in the social sciences,
economics, and the arts. At his grave, we must show gratitude for his generosity in
supporting the sciences, but also for the quiet care he exhibited. The departed was one of
those naturally successful people who keep nothing for themselves but spend their assets
for the social good. He made small and large donations to University institutes, in
particular the Biological Institute. During the war and times of inflation, his altruistic
commitment was of particular importance; he converted his villa into a hospital, and helped
as much as possible to soothe private sorrow, and did so with a sensitivity that markedly
defined the character of this splendid man. The last big donations were the University-
affiliated Institute of Social Research, for which he was made an honorary doctor Dr. h. c.
rer. pol , and the school for further education that he gave to his hometown. Moreover, his
interest for the Senckenberger Institute for Nature Research, which also lost a caring
benefactor in him, is well known. With the passing of Hermann Weil, we lost a man, who
mastered his fate through his own power and ability. A rtian who lived with intelligence
and compassion in his times, who possessed a warm sensitivity for his fellow man and a
strong intuition for the dynamics of our culture, and whose concept of life and
achievements were of exemplary significance.
49
Frankfurter Paper DR. HERMANN WEIL t
4*** of Oct. 1927
On Sunday night Dr. rer. pol. h. c. Hermann Weil, one of the most
distinguished citizens of our town, died after a serious, long illness.
Bom as the youngest of thirteen siblings in Steinsfurt (Baden) on
Sept. 18, 1868, he graduated from the Sinsheimer highschool
(Realschule) and took on a commercial apprenticeship at the grain
business of Isidor Weismann in Mannheim. The extraordinarily
talented man was soon sent abroad by his company, and held
responsible positions in Switzerland, the Balkans, and Antwerp,
before being dispatched to Buenos Aires in order to open a new
branch. In 1898, Hermann Weil became self-employed. He was
assisted by two of his older brothers, who were already working in
North America. He established the international company Weil
Hermannos & Co. with branches all over the world (for instance in
Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Genoa).He developed it into one of the
leading wholesale grain businesses.
A severe illness, from which he had already suffered in 1903, forced
him to come back to Europe in 1907, he eventually settled in
Frankfurt in 1912.
Hermann Weil, who had always displayed an eagerness for
education, lived his diverse cultural and social interests and
cemented his active understanding of issues in public life through
exemplary, generous donations.
Public and private charities could count on his support, no matter
what the denomination. Not only did many people in need find a
generous friend in him, but he also made his spacious villa on the
Zeppelin Ave. available to serve as a hospital during the war. Above
all, it was his rich contributions to scientific institutes that interested
him most and these institutions will keep his memory alive.
Alongside Prof Blum’s Institute of Biology, the institutes of Paul
Ehrlich and Spieß, the Senckenbergianum, owes its survival during
the bad times of inflation to him. His lifework, however, is the
establishment and financing of the “Society for Social Research”.
Today the Social Research Institute not only represents one of the
most prestigious extensions of our University (of which Hermann
Weil became honorary doctor and citizen), but it is also a leading
institution of its kind. In this light, his death, which had been
anticipated with trepidation for some time, constitutes a painful loss
for the city of Frankfurt, Hermann Weil’s second home.
[Followed by newspaper article of the ‘Landsbote’ repeating
obituaries from above]
50
Der Landbote
Sinsheimer Newspaper
October 5, 1927
FROM NEAR AND FAR
Steinsfiirt October 4, (Dr. Herman Weil) died on Monday night after years of suffering in
Frankfurt a.M. He was bom September 18, 1868 as the youngest of 13 children in
Steinsfiirt. After graduation fi’om schools in Sinshein he came to Mannheim to learn
merchandising of grains and seeds fi’om Isidor Weismann. Soon the extraordinary talent of
the young man was recognized and he was sent to Switzerland, the Balkans, Belgium
(Antwerp). In 1 895, the firm sent to establish a branch in Buenos Aires. There with the
help of his brothers, who were already in North America started a business of his own.
This joint stock company named "Weil Hermanns & Cia Buenos Aires" was one of the
important grain companies in the world, with branches in Hamburg, Rotterdam, Geneva,
and Mannheim. However, Herman Weil suffered with illness since 1903. In 1907, he
returned to Europe. In 1912 he made his home in Frankfurt where he was held in high
esteem. He was a great philanthropist of the town, who in generous manner funded many
institutions without thought to their religious persuasions. During the war, he offered his
villa (Zeppelin Street) as a hospital for the wounded officers. His endowment to the
sciences were substantial, for instance to the biological institute of Prof. Blum and the
institute of Paul Ehrlich and Spiess, also he was of much help in the time of inflation. His
special love and interest belonged to the social studies whose institution he financed. He
also showed his gratitude to the schools to which he owed his early learning and enriched
them in various ways. At the Jewish Cemetery in Waibstadt he erected a monumental
mausoleum. The University town of Frankfurt grieves for its great benefactor and named
him an honorable citizen.
51
Son and Grandson
of Dr. Hermann Weil
Wiesbaden, Jan. 25, 1929
The Prussian ‘Regierungspräsident” (chief administrator of a ‘Regierungsbezirk’, which is
the primary administrative division of a state [‘Land’])
Lucio Felix Jose Weil, bom on Febmary 8, 1 898 in Buenos Aires, citizen of the Federation
of Baden in Frankfurt/Main, as well as his wife Käthe, nee Bachert, and the following
child, Frank Stephan Hermann, bom on Oct. 25, 1924 in Frankfurt/Main. Were received by
me today and represented by them as parents, they were admitted to the Federation of
Pmssia, of which I respectfully inform you in reference to the indicated citizenship ID
[there] issued on Dec. 14, 1928 (J. Nr. 226).
J.A.
Signature
Steinsfurt, Jan. 31,1 929
Decree
A note to the town files
Office of the Mayor
The Family Weil around 1900
in front of the house of Samuel Weil
Upper row: Berta Weil and husband Samuel
2nd row: Adolf Weil, Jette, Ferdinand
3rd row: Rosa (wife of Hermann), Jenny (wife of Adolf), Hermann Weil, Mother Fanny
Weil, Elise and Babette
4th row: Frieda, Johanna
52
Adolf Weil -
Center of the Jewish Community
(Engagement Announcement of Jenny and Adolph Weil]
Adolf Weil was a well-respected citizen. When no Jewish teacher was left in town, he took
over the position of prayer leader at the synagogue; he held the Jewish community together.
His popularity and appreciation for him is expressed in the obituary at his funeral on Nov.
17, 1931.
Obituary
Given at the grave of the eternalized Adolf Weil in Steinsfurt on Nov. 17, 1931, by Dr.
Franz Pinkuss
MINE ANOCHIIMOSH USCHMARTISCHO BESCHOL ASCHER TALECH...
“See, I am with you and protect you wherever you go, because I will not leave you before I
will have done what I promised you.”
Silently the sun of a happy, long life went down, the rays shine on for a long time and cut
through the shades of sorrow that they leave behind. Deep respect overcomes us as we look
back on a life that was lived in harmony, brought to an end, and enriched with human
hopes and desires. Full of sympathy we may, at the grave of the eternalized, pronounce the
word, which proves true again on this occasion; that word with which God promises our
ancestral father Jakob; “See, I am with you and protect you...”.
Two old people travel over the world sea, not like the many emigrants into the uncertainty
of a new world, but quiet and happy, to pay their children a visit over there. At the end of
their lives, now that the harvest of an industrious life on earth is to be brought in, their
life’s work, they hope to experience the happiness of the children and grandchildren. Upon
their return home, when the man is seized by longing for the home soil, and when--
trembling— he says goodbye to his loved ones as if anticipating that the farewell is for
eternity, he views his life again. He comes back fi-om the big world of experience over
there and joyfully thinks of his quiet hometown, where at an early age already he had
learned to work seriously, supported his mother, and became the bread-giver for his
siblings. Images arise in his mind of putting the children, whom he just saw in their
happiness, on his lap and playing with them.
53
And amidst the memories hope remains of returning to the house of God at home and
resuming the duties of teacher and prayer leader, of a friend to the brother-in-law, a good
adviser to all those who need him, offering them an open door, an open hand. However,
when the ship arrives and the long journey is done, dawn has set in within him; when the
harvest of fall has been brought in, winter soon follows without our noticing, and it brings
death. Nevertheless, we are not to complain: no grower had a greater yield than he did. In
the same way that he cared for his loved ones, his wife surrounded him with devoted love,
and his loving relatives looked after him when the dark hours of sickness came to the
house. By educating the children to take their duties seriously, and preparing them for
respected professions, he was able to earn the reward for this effort, the thankfulness of his
sons and daughters, who were, even from afar, always longing for their father’s blessing.
They now are left to worship only their mother, but let the father live on everywhere, where
he left behind a testimonial of love, in the hearts of all those who knew him.
We mortals bear three names according to the word of wise men: the name given to us by
our mother and father, the name of our family, and the good name we earn through our
deeds. He lived up to the good name of his family; he was like those who do not forget
home when they are faraway and remained proud of his German fatherland without
reservation, rendering outstanding services to his town through noble endowments. Even
faraway, in the house of his children, he could not forget home. He loved his Germany
more than anything. He was a living example that German Jews, like us, hold the same
warm feelings for the fatherland like everyone else, and that we righteously have to keep
our faith in the place where we were bom, and remain affiliated with those we grew up
with.
He lived up to the good name of the community. As much as he longed to return to it, the
community now mourns his homecoming. On behalf of the synagogue board I am thanking
you, the eternalized, for all that you have done for us, for becoming both our teacher and
leader, when the community had to function without one. Even if you were strict, you
always thought it was for the best when you called on us to come to the house of God— the
place that was the source of your vitality and compassion.
54
Through this you have earned the greatest name, the good name that has to be earned.
Everyone among the large congregation of mourners feels that an upright, righteous man
has left us. A man everyone is going to miss. A man that possessed an understanding for
the good and the right— that virtue, which surpasses the denominational borders and joins,
all people together in an alliance of peace. Virtue is the true honor of a people; it is applied
where the walls of mistrust and hate are tom down by decent people, where all are open to
what lives inside us, making no distinction, whether we walk through life poor or rich,
young or old. It is painful but true that at some point, every gap will be closed. However,
where a brave man had his place, one will remember him for a long time. Tell the young
people about the example the deceased set, and keep him in honored memory. In the
beginning of the weekly reading, which we will read on the coming Sabbath, it says,
‘Svajeze jaakow miber schewa chorono” - “Jakob zog von Berseba fort nach Choron”. Our
wise men ask: “Why does it say where he comes fi'om, wouldn’t it have been enough,
simply to say that he went to Choron?” In addition, people answered that the place he left
behind is mentioned to show that it had lost an asset with him, which they are now
mourning. You left us for the great eternity— us, who are mourning your going home. But
you enter there, not broken by a storm of life, not by time, but after you have completed the
earthly journey; you were allowed to enjoy the success of your life. You do not have to live
on the memory of your old days. You live forth as the vigorous, happy father, husband, and
friend. Let it be the consolation of the mourners, that God’s blessing was with you in life as
well as in death. That you leave the earthly for the greater home after rich success: “See, I
am with you and protect you on all your ways; I lead you to that great home, I will not
leave you”.
Amen.
55
i
Emigrations before 1933
Name
Date of Birth
Date of Emigration/
Receiving Country
Weil Moses Josua
09/20/1835
1 1/29/1 854--America
Weil David
01/21/1857-America
Weil Josef Anschel
s.a.
Weil Veis
09/1 5/1 858-- America
Weil Josua
04/27/1 870-America
Weil Gustav
07/27/1 855
04/08/1 870— America
Weil Isidor (Seligman S.)
10/27/1855
07/10/1872— America
Weil Samuel
01/02/1867
06/20/1 882— America
Weil Louis
03/06/1866
07/3 1/1 882-America
Weil Sigmund (Veis Sohn)
02/02/1866
07/26/1 882— America
Kahn Seligman
08/18/1871
06/06/1 883— America
Weil Samuel
11/05/1866
07/26/1 883— America
Weil Max (and family)
02/14/1843
01/08/1887-
Wiirttemberg
Hanauer Leopold
03/28/1876
08/05/1 89 1 —America
Hanauer Moritz
08/02/1877
07/30/1 892-America
Kahn Nathan
03/08/1875
02/05/1 892— America
Weil Moses (and family)
03/08/1867
02/06/1902
Sophie, nee Adler
11/07/1867
Bad Mergentheim
Weil Josef
04/15/1891
06/04/1908— Argentina ■
Weil Max
05/15/1897
1 9 1 8— Buenos Aires
Weil Kurt
04/26/1902
1 92 3 —Porto A legr e/Brazil
Weil Isidor
08/12/1893
1 927— Buenos Aires
Weil Flora (married Frohmann)
12/05/1900
1927— Buenos Aires
Weil Dr. Josef Sigmund
12/12/1904
1928— Argentina
Julius Weil
10/06/1902
1929— Munich (to study)
1939-CIeveland/USA
Advertisement used by Louis Weil for Emigrants to cross over trips to America at the most favorite rates
offered. Notation on 2.26. 1 880
56
1
1
Emigrations after 1933
1
The Jews of Steinsfurt who had remained in
town until Jan. 1, 1933 emigrated
■
because of the threat of the national-socialist regime.
1
Name
Date of Birth
Emigration Date/
Receiving Country
1
1 . Wei! Gustav
03/30/1871
04/22/1 940-Sao Paolo
2. Weil Telly
05/11/1883
s.a.
■
3. Weil Use
03/30/1912
1
4. Weil Leopold
04/02/1917
07/26/1 939-England
5. Weil Siegfried
07/30/1918
s.a.
6. Weil Flora
03/22/1922
08/1 3/1 940— Sao Paolo
1
7. Weil Siegfried
06/20/1900
07/27/1 936PortoAlegre
■
S.Weil Johanna
01/03/1897
12/31/1936-s.a.
9.Weil Berta
04/05/1929
s.a.
1
10. Weil Cerline
01/22/1864
10/1 6/1 936-New York
1
1 1 .Weil Hugo
04/30/1899
s.a.
12.Weil Selma
05/26/1905
s.a.
■
13. Weil Josef
06/18/1892
05/1 5/1 939— England
1
14. Weil Alice
02/16/1905
s.a.
1 S.Weil Susanna
07/18/1933
s.a.
16. Weil Karl
03/21/1904
02/02/1940— North Americ
1
1 7.Weil Sophie
01/20/1907
s.a.
■
1 S.Weil Ruth
11/06/1931
s.a.
19. Weil Marianne
06/25/1933
s.a.
■
20.Weil Mathilde, nee Maas
04/23/1 880
s.a.
1
21. Weil Karl
10/24/1905
05/1 5/1 939—England
22.Eichtersheimer Moritz
06/08/1904
04/13/1 938— Columbia
23.Eichtersheimer Beatrix
05/15/1900
s.a.
1
24.Eichtersheimer Arnold
01/23/1934
s.a.
■
25.Eichtersheimer Hans-Erich
08/25/1935
s.a.
26. Weil Max
04/24/1911
06/04/1 937— Porto Alegre
1
27.Weil Mathilde, nee Mengers
07/06/1870
07/19/1939 Porto Alegre
■
28.Weil Karoline
08/27/1885
07/1 9/1 937-USA
29.Weil Janette
04/11/1870
01/30/1933— Buenos Aires
■
30.Kahn Max
02/23/1877
10/1 1/1 937 North America
1
3 1 .Kahn Mina
04/04/1879
s.a.
32.Kahn Sophie
10/15/1909
s.a.
■1
33.Kahn Gretel
02/07/1914
07/2 1/1 936-America
1
1
1
34.Weil Isidor
10/23/1906
09/25/1 936-America
Minister of the Interior
57
Nr. 96800
Karlsruhe, Oct. 31, 1938
Police Registration System
Here: Intra-German Migration of Jews
To all mayors serving as local police authorities
For the purpose of recording intra-German migration of Jews, all police
registration^cancellations of Jews from now on will have to be reported to the district
authorities pertaining to § 5 of the First Ordinance of the ‘Reichsbürger’-Act of Nov. 14,
1935 (RGBl. I. S. 1333), indicating the exact personal data (first and last name, maiden
name for women, profession, place and date of birth), and the former and new place of
residence. No report is necessary if the change of residence occurs within communal
borders. To simplify this process, I agree with the idea of having the one responsible for
registering fill out a fourth registration/cancellation form to be handed to the district
authorities according to section 1 of this decree.
In representation
The Mayor
Supplement to the Jew Registry
Steinsfurt, Dec. 14, 1938
The Jew Siegfried Weil, merchant, bom on June 20, 1900 In Steinsfurt, emigrated to Porto
Alegre , Brazil, on July 27, 1936. His registration was cancelled today. I inform you of
this matter as an entry into the Registry of Jews.
To the
District Authority [‘Bezirksamt’]
Sinsheim
58
Sinsheim District Authority 1908:
Home certificate [‘Heimatschein’] for Josef Weil of Steinsfiirt
Here:
Discharge from the Baden State Federation
I. the above Josef Weil, bom in Steinsfiirt on April 15, 1891, entitled to residence there, is
hereby discharged from the Baden State Federation, upon application of his father and legal
representative Adolf Weil, after authorization of the District Court Sinsheim as family
court, to emigrate to South America.
II. Notice is given to the town of Steinsfiirt.
Signature
59
Steinsfiirt, June 24, 1 937
The Mayor
Emigration of Jews
The Jew Max Weil, merchant, bom on April 24, 191 1 in Steinsfurt, henceforth resident of
Steinsfiirt, cancelled his residency on June 24, 1 937 to emigrate to Porto Alegre, Brazil.
To the District Authority
Sinsheim
Tailfingen, Jan. 6, 1939
Registry Office Tailfingen
Balingen County
To the
Registry Office
Steinsfurt
District Authority Sinsheim, Baden
Reference: Naturalization. O Beil
According to the notification received from the Landrat* in Balingen, Flora Julie, nee
Weil, resident of Tailfingen, bom on Dec. 1 1890 in Steinsfurt, wedded there to the
merchant Julius Stem on June 6, 1912, wedded for the second time to the M.D. Mark
Klatschko in Tübingen on Okt. 7, 1930, acquired Palestinian citizenship by naturalization
on May 27, 1938, and according to § 25, sec. 1 of the Reich citizenship law (‘Reichs-and
Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetzes’) of July 22, 1913, thereby lost the German citizenship.
I inform you of this as a matter of precaution.
60
*[Landrat = Administrative Head of the Landkreis, which is an area specified for administrative jurisdiction]
Circular No. 7/36 Karlsruhe April 15,1936
GERMAN TOWN CONVENTION (‘DEUTSCHER GEMEINDETAG’)
State service authority Baden
Tgb. Nr. 1552/36
To AU Member Communties
Ref. Compilation of the community’s/municipality’s
resident Jews and residents of Jewish descent
(up to 3rd degree)
By the order of the security, service S.S. I present a form to be filled in with a record of
the resident Jews and residents of Jewish descent.
The completed form will be picked up by a representative of the S.S. in person.
The Executive Director
Dr. Jäkle
Steinsfurt, Oct. 16, 1936
The Mayor
Note to the Registry of Jews
To date, the following people have cancelled their residency with the purpose of
emigrating to New York, United States
1 . Weil Cerline, nee Heidenheimer, widow, bom on Jan. 22, 1 864 in
Berlichingen
2. Weil Hugo, merchant, bom on April 30, 1899 in Steinsfurt
3. Weil Selma, no occupation, bom on May 26, 1904 in Steinsfurt.
The place of residence thereafter was Steinsfurt, Hauptstraße 153.
I inform you of this matter to update the Registry of Jews.
To the
District Authority (‘Bezirksamt’) Sinsheim
62
Franz Hundsnurscher and Gerhard Taddy write in their book
Relationship of the population to
Jewish citizens
H
I
I
!
“THE JEWISH GOMM UNITIES OF BADEN”
(Stuttgart 1968, published by the State Archival Administration Baden- Württemberg)
The following:
“Acts of violence agaihst Jews did not occur in Steinsfurt. Even on the notorious 10 of
November, 1938, only the cattle dealer Karl Weil was arrested and held in the Dachau
concentration camp for a couple of weeks. The synagogue on Adersbacherstreet, which had
already been sold in 1937, remained untouched. The comparably early exclusion of the
Jewish cattle dealers from economic life and the effort of party members to quickly clear
their town of Jews (to render the town ‘judenrein’), had the effect that all of Steinsfurt’s
Jews had emigrated to North-or South America by early 1940. The harsh fate of emigration
saved them from the much harsher one of deportation. Steinsfurt is one of the very few
Jewish communities in Baden that does not have to mourn direct victims of Nazi
persecution.”
“Volksgemeinschaft” [‘People’s Community’]
The following two excerpts of the 3rd Reich’s
Regional Newspaper “Die Volksgemeinschaft” illustrate the prejudice of the times I
Steinsftirt, July 8 (miscellaneous)
The local group of the NSDAP, as well as several secondary organizations, and the "
Sanitatskolonne participated in the ten-year celebration in Eichtersheim. - While enjoying
the festivities one could not help but notice, however, that one organization was not very I
particular about choosing a Jewish car as a means of transportation. Could not one have
found another vehicle with a little more good will and political sensitivity?
"German citizens “Volksgemeinschaft”
Highlights (‘Streiflichter’)
Have you not slept enough yet?
When 1 was walking through the streets of Steinsfurt around 1 1 pm last Wednesday, I
noticed how a small handcart stopped at the ‘Roter Seppel’ (at Red Seppel’s). I took a few
minutes to observe what was going on. At first, the Jew showed up, then his wife, then
another man; a woman was watching the cart. During thereover of night they were selling
and moving so-called Jewish furniture (‘Judenmöbel’). In the end, it also became clear who
the great fi-iend of the Jews (‘Judenfreund’) was. It was a farmer from Rohrbach b. S.. That
is not all. The ‘Gumbel’, too, sold his ‘guti Stub’(best parlor furniture) to one of the first
families of Steinsfurt. Although the Jew and his Sarah did not betray anyone, things
eventually always become known. We also have ‘Volksgenossen’ (comerades) among us
who get a special charge out of conversing with Jews. My advice to all of those is join the
Jewish family group and get yourself a ticket to Honolulu so you won’t lose your ‘faithful
friends’. - Volksgenossen - or ‘Auch-Volkgenossen’ (How shall we call you?) - have you
not slept long enough yet? Have you not personally experienced how these parasites of
mankind have led our people to the brink of the abyss, do you not see how they play their
destructive game with other peoples and stir up hatred against the fatherland in the worst
manner? Do you want to join the camp of those elements through your irresponsible
actions and become a traitor to your own blood!— No— then present yourselves as German
men and women and refrain from such behavior!
64
ln reference to Franz Hundsmirscher’s and
Gerhard Taddy’s observations, one has to note
While it is true that no greater acts of violence occurred against Jews in Steinsfurt, the
destruction of Jewish homes during the so-called ‘Reichskristallnacht’ (Nov. 10, 1938) was
carried out by SA-troops from out of town.
In a letter to the relief organization for victims of racist persecution in Stuttgart, the
Steinsfurt Office of the Mayor on Dec. 27, 1960 reports the following concerning the
persecution of Jews in Steinsfurt:
The following Jewish families were formerly residents of Steinsfurt
1 . Adolf Weil, grain merchant
2. Leopold Weil, cattle merchant
3. Josef Weil, Leopold’s son (son of 2), cattle merchant
4. Gustav Weil
5. Samuel Weil
6. Siegfried Weil (son-in-law of 5)
7. Max Kahn
8. Freudenthaler
9. Moritz Weil (his daugther Karoline Weil)
10. Karl Weil
1 1. Hugo Weil (son of Sigmund), cattle merchant
12. Moritz Eichtersheimer
The brother of Adolf Weil was the well-known wholesale grain merchant Hermann Weil
(Company Weil Hermanos-Buenos Aires). He was a great philanthropist and gave:
University of Frankfurt (Institute of Social Sciences), mausoleum at the Jewish cemetery in
Waibstadt, and cooking school [‘Kochschule’] in Steinsfurt. The children of his brother
Adolf Weil, who was a well-respected citizen of this town, had emigrated earlier to join the
business of their uncle and other affiliated companies. Josef Weil, Isidor Weil, and Max
Weil are in Buenos Aires (as well as the aged widow of Adolf Weil), Kurt Weil is in
Brazil. The undersigned maintains written correspondence with some of the sons.
Caittle business of Leopold Weil (2) was operated by his söo Jöäef until 1934i He was still
in town on the day of the progrom and emigrated, after a brief arrest. He is said to be
deceased. Gustav Weil ran a butcher shop. He sold his estate after 1933 and also emigrated.
He is believed to have died. The grain business of Samuel Weil was managed by his son-
in-law Siegfi'ied Weil. It was a substantial business. The property was sold to local citizens
before the owners emigrated to the United States. In the past, Samuel Weil’s house also
functioned as an inn. Max Kahn ran an antique (second-hand) business. His daughter went
to the teacher’s college in Heidelberg and was about to graduate. He also emigrated with
his family after 1933. His land was sold locally. Freudenthaler was an employee of the
Eichtersheimer Co. He was severely wounded in the war, and, according to my knowledge,
had already moved from here before the persecution began. I^I'We Was ä eaffle
merchant. After it became impossible for him to conduct his business, he planted croj?s. He
was the last Jew to leave Steinsfurt after 1933. Karoline Weil, daughter of grain merchant
Moritz Weil (9), was still residing in Steinsfurt in 1933; some of her sisters were married
and lived in the United States. Her brother, Julius, had beeh killed in WWI.
Moritz Eichtersheimer dealt in construction materials. Before emigrating, he sold both
home and enterprise. The synagogue, a small brick building on Adersbacherstreet was sold
to a local merchant. It still exists today.
It should be noted that the local people hardly participated in the persecution. The progrom
of November was carried out by people from out of town. There are still ties today between
many of the emigres and local families.”
Signed Keitel, Mayor
66
Obituaries of members of Jewish families
in Steinsfurt, around 1900
Obituary
This morning after a short, but serious illness our caring mother,
grandmother, mother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, and aunt
Mrs. Regina Weil (widow)
Nee Levi
Died at the age of 76.
Steinsfiirt, May 8, 1928.
The grieving relatives
Karoline Weil
Mrs. Else Vobd, nee Weil, Hiiladelphia,
Mrs. Jermy Volk, nee Weil, New York,
Mrs. Selma Lämmle, nee Weil, Hagenbach (Palatinate)
And three granddiildren
The funeral will be held rai Thursday, May 10, 1928, in the morning at 10.30 am, starting from the home of
the Deceased in Steinsfiirt, going to the communal cemetery at Waibstadt at 12 noon.
Obituary
To frioids and acquaintances the sorrowful news that today at
12.30 pm, our beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and mother-iri-law
Mrs. Fanny Weil
nee Reis,
died peacefully after a long and serious illness at the age of 53.
We appreciate your quiet sympathy.
Thank You Notice.
We want to express our thanks for all the expressions of loving compassion on the occasion of the death
of our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and sister-in-law.
Fanny Weil
nee Reis,
Thank you for accompanying her to her final resting-place, for the uplifting words of the teacher Hanauer,
and in particular, thank you to all those who eased the last days of the Deceased through self-sacrificing
care.
Steinsfiirth, June 20, 1 890
The grieving relatives
67
iMrs- Malchen Richter, nee Rudi, wrote down her recollections and experience, of 'ithe
Reichskristallnacht of 1938. She witnessed thd harassment of Josef Weil (Roter ,Seppl)#s a
neighbor. She reports that the mother of Josef Weil, (Mrs. Klare Weil, nee Kem)j his wife
Alice Weil, nee Frank, and daughter Susanne took refuge in her hOu^ thät night. They had
to see with their own eyes how strangers threw stones through the windows pfthfir home,
how Josef Weil was beaten up, opd taken away. Klare Weil suffered a stroke and died from
its aftermath on Nov. 15, 1938.
Klare Weil’s daughter, Irma Weil, was married to the merchant Julius Maier in
Königsbach. The Maier family— including their two daughters— was taken to Gurs/France in
1940 and subsequently taken to Dachau where they died in the gas chamber.
Josef Weil stayed in Dachau for some weeks after his arrest; in July of 1939, he traveled to
Engiahd‘' there to the United States. Some of the other men of the Jewish
community were also arrested; Karl Weil, the cattle merchant, for instance, was tak.<?n to
Dachau for a longer period. Gustav Weil was also taken in, but released after a couple of
days. His two sons Siegfried and Leopold spent Kristallnacht in the woods, but were
arrested on the following day and taken to Dachau. They went to England in July of 1939,
and later to the United States.
ISIDOR WEIL
Son of Adolf & Jenny Weil, deceased at the age of 73
We said goodbye to Isidor Weil on January 7. The news of his death affected many people
deeply, because a great number of them had a close personal relationship with him. People
who met him, easily bonded with him because of his open and kind ways; this explains
why his circle of friends embraced broad sections of society. The interest he showed in
others allowed him to give good counsel to many of them.
68
At the heart of his circle was his family to which he dedicated his life; its well-being was
the number one priority. As a caring son and exemplary brother, he— alongside his beloved
wife— knew how to make his home, graced with Jewish tradition and spirit, a core around
which his family united. The differences between generations fell away, and, since his
marriage remained childless, it was the nephews and nieces and later their children with
whom he patiently shared his easy, joyftil ways. However, Isidor Weil’s sense of
community did not stop at his immediate surrounding. In keeping with his Jewish
education, which he had received in both his family and the community of Steinsfurt, he
was able to immediately connect after his arrival in Argentina with associations that
cultivated religious traditions and focused on volunteer work. He became very active in
them and assumed a leadership role in some of them.
He also expressed his enthusiasm for Zionist goals together with his wife and other family
members.
He was particularly interested in the goals and tasks of our organization and thus held the
office of deputy chairman of the support group for German-speaking Jews [“Hilfsverein
Deutschsprechender Juden”] for a number of years. He remained closely involved until his
death, serving for many years on the executive board, and later within the framework of
“Consejo Consultivo”.
left to right
Sam, Hermann, Ferdinand Weil,
who emigrated to the
United States in 1888
later to Argentina
Photograph around 1900
69
Thanks to his personality, Hermann Weil was also very successful in his professional life
as a merchant and industrialist, and our organization often profited fi’om his far-reaching
business and social connections.
If today we have to mourn the loss of this great man and dear friend, may those who were
so close to him, in particular his grief-stricken wife, be comforted by the thought that, at the
end of his rich life, he was granted a period of special happiness. After several years of
harsh physical suffering, which he bore admirably, he felt he was on the way to recovery
and experienced the beauty of life more deeply than ever among the people and
environment that he loved. In this state of happiness, he found a painless and peaceful
end. We are losing a good and caring fi'iend with Isidor Weil. We shall treasure his
memory deeply.
Buenos Aires,
February 1965
Family Adolf Weil, picture taken in Buenos Aires in 1931
70
Obituary Isidore Weil
In Mr. Isidore Weil, who died on January 7, a man of prominence has left our German-
speaking community. Born in Steinsfurt/Baden in 1892, he grew up in a home of pious and
industrious people - a tact that shaped his entire liiture. As a young man, he was already
successfully working in the grain business, in which his family had a leading name. The
only time his work was interrupted was during the war years from 1914 to 1918, when he
fought at the front. In 1928 he came to Argentina, where he first worked in export, and later
founded the company that he ran with his brother, Maximo, and that was named after him.
The company Isidoro Weil y Cia., later Iweco, S.A., grew into a well-respected and
substantial enterprise in the food oil industry. - Many organizations of a philanthropic and
cultural nature found a sponsor in Isidoro Weil, who was an intelligent and generous
person; they could always count on his kind understanding and open hands. - All who
knew him extend their deep sympathy to his family and in particular to his wife, Anny
Weil, to whom he was happily married for many years.
Argentinisches Tagesblatt
Sunday, Jan. 10, 1965
Jo.sef (Jessel) Weil
* Oct. 2, 1823
t Oct. 13, 1887
Fanny Weil
Nee Götter
* April 23, 1823
t Nov. 22, 1914
The couple Josef and
Fanny Weil had 13
child ren.
They are also the parents
of the well-know Hermann
Weil.
71
\
Headstone of Josef (Jesse!) and Fanny Weil
in the Jewish Cemetery in Waibstadt
Issy Weil as
war volunteer 1914/18
soldier of the infantry
Announcement in the .Journal ‘Aufliau’
of the American Weekly Published, New York
My beloved husband, our good brother
brother-in-law and uncle died at the age of
63 after a Ivief illness.
MAX WEIL
(formerly Sleinsfurl and Brazil
In deep sorrow;
FLORA WIdL, nee Samuel
6000 I’arkheights Ave., Apt. 2-A
Baltimore, MD212LS
I
I
I
I
Announcements from the journal “Aufbau”
of the American Weekly Published, New York
Suddenly and unexpectedly my beloved husband, our good brother,
brother-in-law, uncle, and cousin died on Feb. 8, 1970
HUGO WEIL
Formerly Steinsfurt i. Baden
At the age of 70
In deep sorrow:
ERNA WEIL
FRIEDA PICARD
ISY und SELMA KUNZ
Nee Weil
JACK and ELLA HIRSCH
Nee Weil
610 West 163rd Street
New York, NY 10032
At the same time we thank all friends and acquaintances
for their warm sympathy.
My beloved husband, best of fathers, father in law, brother, brother in law, uncle and cousin
STEFAN WEIL
(formerly Steinsfurt, Baden, München)
Was taken from our midst on August 24, 1976 in his 66th year.
In deep sorrow:
TESS WEIL
Nee Kasten
CHARLES & MARSHA SCHLIFFMAN
Nee Weil
GARY WEIL
JOE & ELSIE WEIL
Nee Weiler
LEO & LIESELOTTE WEIL
N^ Levi
209 North Mosley Road
St. Louis, Missouri 63141
73
■V 'r' i
Planting of an ‘oak of peace’ on Oct. 11, 1987 at the “llermannsruh
Right to left:
Mrs. Liesbeth Schwab, nee Stern (granddaughter of Samuel Weil)
Hans Appenzeller, chief forester Konrad Fischer
niH JEWISH COMMUNITY SIEINSFURl LIVES ON IN SIEINSFURT. AS LONG
AS HIE SYNAGOCilJE AND COOKING SCHOOL S I AND, JEWISH CITIZENS WILL
BE IN OUR MINI).
THE “HERMANNSRUH” AND HIE. HERMANN WEIL PAIll WILL REMIND
(iENERA'I lONS TO COME OF HIE ACIIIEVEMEN I S OF Jb:WS IN STEINSFURI .
I
1
Stammbaum
1
1
1
DER Familie Weil
1
1 S i A\1M 1
SlAMM 11
, 1
i 1
1 SrwiM 111 1
i i
1
1
1
1
1
1
Low Feis - Weil
Pferdehändler
* 11.06.1751
+ 18.11.1826
Moises Feis - Weil
Pferdehändler
* 19.10.1755
+ 10.04.1831
JsAAK Feis - Weil
Pferdehändler
*07.11.1757
1
1
1
1
1
'
I. - III. SIND Brüder
1
77
■
1
1
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
78
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
Stamm I - Linie 1
1
MoISES WEn. ViEHÄNDLER
* 03.07.1774+12.09.1843
oo Gütgen
*07.10.1784 + 23.03.1838
1/1 1/2
Lilly Weil Veis Moses Weil
*09.06.1814 * 01.01.1821 + 12.09.1843
oo 18.03.1847 Elka (Euse geb.
Weil) Tochter des Samuel Weil
*16.02.1822
A
Babette Weil
* 29.04.1847
B
Moritz Weil
*28.08.1849
+22.12.1923
00 26.1 2. 1883
Regina geb. Levi
AUS Herxheim
* 25.03.1852
+ 08.05.1928
c
Lina Weil
*08.02.1851
D
Hanna Weil
* 20.03.1853
oo 28.08.1878
Glück Salomon
* 10.04.1827.
E
Carouna Weil
*05.04.1855
F
Leopold Weil
*07.03.1857
G
Samuel Weil
*09.05.1859
+ 03.01.1933
H
Sigmund Weil
*02.01.1866
oo 15.05.1887
Berta geb. Whl
* 16.03.1863
+ 12.06.1923
79
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
Morttz Weil * 28.08.1849 +22.12.1923
oo 26.12.1883 Regina geb. Levi aus Herxheim * 25.03.1852 + 08.05.1928
Karoune Weil
* 27.08.1885
(19.07.1939 NACH
USA)
Elsa
* 30.07.1886
Julius Weil
* 15.11.1888
gefallen IM 1.
Weltkrieg
Jenny Weil
* 14.11.1889
Selma Wfjl
* 20.03.1893
1/2/g
Samuel Weil * 09.05.1859 + 13.01.1933
oo 15.05.1887 Berta geb. Weil * 16.03.1863 + 12.06.1923
Getta Weil
* 28.03.1889
oo 191 1 Maximi-
lian Mayer
oo 1912 Otto
Michel
Flora Julia Weil
♦01.12.1890
+ 1964 in
Säckingen
oo Julius Stern
* 30.09.1882 in
Horb
+ IM 1. Welt-
krieg
oo 07.10.1930
Dr. Mark
Klatschko
Kinder;
Liesbeth Schwab
* 12.02.1915
oo Hans Schwab
Paula Weil
* 17.06.1892
oo 28.10.1919
KarlHerschel
♦ 18.05.1871
(Bonn)
1
Inge Herschel
oo Manfredo
Neuberger
Kind; Roberto
Lilly Weil
*21.01.1893
Friedrich Weil
♦27.06.1895
gefallen IM 1 .
Weltkrieg
Dr. Fritz
Herschel
JcwANNA Weil
♦03.01.1897
+ 17.03.1972
oo 28.12.1927
Siegfried Weil
♦ 20.06.1900
+ 02.1941-
Kind; Berta Weil
♦ 05.04.1929
Auce Weil
* 26.02.1902
oo 16.12.1923 Karl
Rosenfeld
* 20.06.1900
Enriquie Rosenfeld
oo Margarita Knö-
pfelmacher
Kinder; Silva
Carlos
Josef Siegmund
* 12.12.1904
+ 1980
oo Ines Wallach
Kind;
Sonja Wertheim
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
Stamm I - Linie 3
3
Isaak Weil Viehändler
*04.01.1776+16.02.1855
oo Sara geb. uebmann
*09.10.1790+13.11.1874
^
f
1
Bulla Weil
Moses Weil Johanna Weil
Liebmann Weh
1
*24.01.1816
* 11.05.1817 * 20.10.1821
*08.01.1824
¥
1
Stamm I - Linie 4
¥
4
Samuel Weil
*07.02.1796 + 24.03.1865
oo JOSEFAT GEB. REIS
* 1795 + 20.01.1864
J .
1
1
1
4/1
Elke Weil
* 16.02.1822
oo 18.03.1847
Veis Moses
Weil
(Stamm I -
Linie 1/2)
4/2
Josef (Jessel)
Weil
*02.10.1823
+ 13.10.1887
oo
19.11.1850
Fanny geb.
Götter
*23.04.1823
IN Grombach
+ 22.11.1914
4/3 4/4 4/5
Samuel Lazarus Weil Aaron Weil
Weil 11.12.1830 * 12.12.1832
* oo 24.10.1858 + 27.09.1905
06.09.1828 Babettegeb. oo
Glück 02.03.1858
*28.03.1825 Bertha
+ 20. 1 0. 1 887 Edelheimer
* 10.07.1829
+ 23.10.1912
4/6
Karl Weil
(Salomon)
*07.04.1835
+ 01.12.1903
oo 30.4.1862
Babette geb.
Götter
*08.11.1839/
Grombach
+ 23.03.1927
IN Steinsfurt
4/7
ISAK Weil
* 18.07.1837
+ 25.05.1879
oo 14.09.1864
Ester Emilie
GEB.
Grumbacher
* 18.03.1834
inWollenberg
+ 16.05.1893
82
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
Stamm I - Linie 4
■ 4/2
B JosEP (Jessel) Weil * 02. 1 0. 1 823 + 1 3. 1 0. 1 887
oo 19.1 1.1850 Fanny geb. Götter * 23.04.1823 in Grombach + 22.1 1.1914
■ 1
■
4/2/a
4/2/b 4/2/c
4/2/d
Leopold Weil
Emilie Gustav Weil
Babette Weil
■
* 16.11.1851
*27.07.1853 *27.07.1855
*27.05.1857 IN
1
+ 03.08.1879 IN
oo Salomon + Atlanta usa
Hänlein b.
USA
Isack
Zwingenberg
■
oo Johanna geb.
1
*29.05.1861
Anna Isack
Flora Isack
Ida Isack Juuus Isack
Salomon Isack
H oo Alexander
* 1888
oo Leon Sichel
■ Hofmann
+ 1974
Kinder:
Kinder:
oo Sigmund
Karl Sichel
Dr. Oskar
Hirschler
Edith Sichel
■ Hofmann
■ Dr. Herbert
Hofmann
Stefan Hirschler
Margot Elisabeth
■
oo Hanna Greta
Hirschler
1
Frankel
oo Dr.med. Levi
oo Adruana
(
Venezuela)
1
1
1
Bezemann
83
I
I
I
1
oo Janette geb. Kirchheimer
* 1 1 .04. 1 870 IN Berwangen
+ 27.05.1965 IN Buenos Aires
Josef Weil
*15.04.1891
+ 23.0801964
oo Hilde geb. Gottschalk
* 07.12.1895 IN Stuttgart
^
Dr. Alfredos Weil
*21.04.1925
00 Mina geb. Rosenbaum * 12.02.1926
1
Dr. Carlos Weil
* 05.07.1928 oo 01.08.1952
Mizi geb. Rosenbaum * 08.06.1927
Kinder:
Dr. Ruben Adolf
Daniel Weil
Dr. Gabriel Weil
Rafael Gustav Weil
Weil * 02.03.1952
*08.09.1953
*01.02.1955
*22.06.1961
oo Stellt Melzer
oo Sara Fleminger
Kind: Annerose
* 28.09.1954
oo Claudia
Kinder:
Sheila
*27.05.1983
Maja * 02.05.1984
Ariel Maurico Weil
* 26.03.1963
Miquel Enrique WeL
* 12.10.1962 (Israel)
84
Isidor Weil
* 11.08.1893 IN
Steinsfurt
+ 07.01.1965 IN
Buenos Aires
oo Anni GEB. Adler *
31.10.1906
+ 19.07.1970
IN Buenos Aires
Max Weil
* 15.05.1897
+ 17.12.1978 Buenos Aires
oo Leonore
* 24.02. 1 907 Lima/Peru
+ 28.06.1970 Buenos Aires
Ruth Fanny
* 12.03.1931
oo Simon Mazer
Kinder:
Ariel Roberto
30.4.1955
David Julius
*28.04.1959
Lilian Adolfine
Weil
* 23.07.1934
oo Dr. Leon Bern-
stein-Hahn
Kinder:
Gaston
Gloria
Flora Weil
* 12.05.1900 Steinsfurt
+ 19.04.1987 Buenos Aires
oo Felix Frohmann
*27.10.1889+ 1952
oo Jaques Ettunger
* 15.12.1902+ 16.11.1971
Dr. Jorge Frohmann
*09.08.1923
oo Gerda geb. Elias
* 15.04.1925
IN Hamburg
I
Monica *
13.04.1951
Kinder:
Daniela
* 10.10.1975
Martin
* 24.05.1978
Roberto
* 25.08.1954
oo Nataue
GEB. Spielmann
*06.09.1954
Kind: Andreas
* 17.02.1986
Luis Issi Froh-
mann
* 22.04.1926
oo Sara geb.
Kind
^
Richard
oo Claudia
Kind:
Barbara
*06.10.1986
I
I
1
♦ 26.05.1861
+ 04.1910
oo Hella Bernecker
I
Kurt Weil
* 26.04. 1 902/Steinsfurt
oo Hilda geb. Goldschmedt
* 01.09.1916 IN Frankfurt
LEBEN IN Porto Alegro/Brasiuen
Lom Weil
oo Fred Pollak (1894-1970)
Susanne Weil
* 12.10.1937
+ 13.07.1940
Armando Fran-
cesco Weil
* 17.12.1938
Kinder:
Guilad/Isreal
Danni/Sao Paulo
Gabriela
Carmen Weil
* 15.11.1940
oo Peter Ernes
TOXkEIN
Kinder:
Carlos
Claudia
PAyLO
IvoNNE Beatrice
Wee.
* 15.12.1952
oo Wolfgang
Wegmann
Kinder:
Michael * 21.10...
Marianne
* 25.10.1974
+ 14.08.1979
I
I
I
I
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
j Stamm l - Lime 4
j
4/2/g
Bertha Whl
* 16.03.1863
+12.06.1923
oo Samuel Weil
*09.05.1859
+ 03.01.1933
4/2/h
Jette Weil
*20.01.1865
oo JsAAK Kahn
*01.04.1859
4/2/1
Samuel (Sam)
Weil
*02.01.1867
+ 1922
oo AlIECE GEB.
Weismann
4/2/j
Hermann Weil
* 18.09.1868/Steinsfurt
+ 03.10.1927 IN Frankfurt
oo Rosa Weismann
+ 1872/Mannheim
+ 1912/Frankfurt
Peter Weil
* 20.05.1905
+ 03.08.1971
oo 1935 1. Ehe:
Carola Edelstein
oo 2. Ehe: Erika Arzensek
Kinder 1 . Ehe:
Andreas Weil
*06.08.1938
oo Mathilde Oramps
Silvia Weil
* 10.07.1940
oo Bautista H. Salomme
Kind 2. ehe:
Thomas Roberto Weil
*22.11.1949
Felix Weil Anita Weil
* 1898+ 1975 * 1901 + 1951
Kind: oo 1. Ehe: Adolf Wilhelm
Frank Weil Krümmer * 1894 + 1974
*23.10.1924
Dr. Adolf Krümmer
* 09.05. 1921 /Charlottenburg
oo Carmen Maria Jacob
*11.03.1927
Kinder: Martin * 1950+ 1976
Miquel * 08.04.1953
Luz* 03.10.1958
oo 2. Ehe:
Theodor Gonzala (HEYmann)
Iris *24.1 1.1930
oo Alfred Brendel/wien
Kind: Doros Brendel
* 1969/England
oo 3. Ehe: Dr. Hertest Hofmann
87
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
4/2/k
Elise Wejl
*26.04.1870
oo Fischoff
4/2/l
Frieda Wol
*05.04.1872
oo 12.08.1896
Abraham Lehmann
*07.12.1867
4/2/m
Hanna Weil
*27.10.1875
oo Richard Weil
Josef Lehmann Fritz Lehmann
oo Liesel Meerapfel oo Lotti Meyer
Kinder:
Paul Lehmann
Shia Lehmann
Flora Lehmann
oo Ludwig Levi
Julius Josef
oo Elisabeth
Schwarzfeld
Kinder:
Andreas
Juan
88
I
I
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
Stamm I - Linie 4
4/3
Samuel WöL
*06.09.1828
4/4
Lazarus Weil * 1 1. 1 2. 1 830
oo 24.10.1858 Babette geb. Glück
*28.03.1825 + 20.10.1887
Leopold Weil
*08.10.1859
Klara Weil
*01.12.1861
+ 15.07.1872
Berta Weil
* 19.04.1863
+ 12.06.1923
oo 15.05.1887
Samuel Weil
*09.05.1859
+ 03.01.1933
Ida Weil Moses Weil
♦ 23.08. 1 865 * 08.03. 1 867
oo 09.07. 1 889 oo Sophie geb. Adler
Löb Hermann * 07 . 1 1 . 1 867/Edelfingen
Wolfsbruck Kinder:
* 26.02. 1 858 Siegfried * 29.08. 1 893
Bianka * 24.02.1895
Alfred * 22.04. 1 896
Moses Weil geht mit
seiner Familie am
06.02.1902
NACH Bad Mergentheim
89
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
I
I
I
Stamm I - Linie 4
4/5
Aaron Weil
* 12.12.1832 + 27.09.1905
oo 02.03.1858
Bertha Edelsheimer * 10.07.1829 + 23.10.1912
1
4/5/a
4/5/b
4/5/c
4/5/d
4/5/e
Euse Weil
Hannchen
Gustav Weil
Samuel Weil
Auguste Weil
*29.11.1858
*29.05.1861
*04.03.1864
* 18.11.1866
* 12.01.1867
oo 04.01.1881
oo Leopold Weil
oo Mathilde geb. Menges
+ 08.01.1868
Samuel Salomon
* 16.11.1851
*06.07.1870
*07.11.1854
+ 03.08. 1879/USA
+ Johannesburg/
IN Hilbringen
Südafrika
4/5/f
4/5/g
4/5/h
4/5/1
1
Ida Weil
Emma Weil
Veis Weil
Rosalie Weil
9
*05.05.1868
oo Samuel Samuei. I
* 05.02.1863/Freudenberg
* 19.01.1870
* 12.09.1871
*20.12.1874
oo 05.05. 1 902 Moritz Bloch
Religionslehrer/Baiertal
* 26.03. 1 87 1 /Sulzburg
1
1
Regina Weil
Johanna Weil
Siegfried Weil Julius Weil
Gertrud Weil
Max Weil
* 18.06.1893
*27.09.1895
* 20.06.1900 * 16.10.1902
*08.10.1907
* 24.04.191 1
+ IM KZ
+ IM KZ
+ 02.1941
oo 22.01.1935
+ in Balti-
oo 01.03.1924
oo 28.12.1927
Friedrich Baer
mor/usa
Wilhelm Levi
Johanna geb.
*24.07.1900
* 19.06.1883
Weil
Ausgewandert
*03.01.1897
NACH Johannes-
+17.03.1972
burg
Kind:
Südafrika
Berta Weil *
05.04.1929
90
I
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
i
!
Stamn! 1 - Link 4
4/6
Karl Weil (Salomon)
♦07.IH.1835 + 01.12.1903
oo 30.4.1862 Babette geb. Götter
* 08.1 1.1 839/Grombach + 23.03. 1927/Steinsfurt
4/6/a
Leopold Weil
*03.04.1863
oo Klara geb. Kern
* 10.11.1 870/W ollenberg
+ 15.11.1 938/Steinsfurt
1
4/6/b
Samuel Weil
+ 03.04.1863
Irma Weil
Josef Weil
* 28.10.1894
* 12.06.1899
+ IN Dachau
+ 04.09.1949/USA
oo Julius Maier
oo 07. 11.1931 Alice
* 1 1 .01 . 1 896/Königsbach
GEB. Frank
+ Dachau
* 16.02.1905/Kehl
Kind:
Susanne* 18.07 .1933
Karl Weil
♦24.10.1905
1936 NACH USA
+ USA
4/6/c
Josef Weil * 24. 1 2. 1 868
+ 15.09.1923/Steinsfurt
oo Mathilde geb. Maas
* 23.04.1880/Hemsbach
+ 30. 11. 1967/St. Louis
Karl Weil
*03.03.1904
+ 1966/USA
oo 22.1 1.1931 Sophie
GEB. EiCHTERSHEIMER
*20.0 1 . 1 907/Ittlingen
Kinder:
Ruth * 06.1 1.1931
Marianne * 25.06.1933
Issi Weil
* 23.10.1906
+ 13.05.1979
Leo Weil
* 17.01.1908
+ 06.02.1983/
Lafeyette
Max Weil
*07.06.1905
+ 04.09.1970
Stefan Weil
* 15.07.1910
+ 22.08.1976/
St. Louis
91
4/6/d
Gustav Weil
*30.03.1871
+ 15.11.1 952/Sao Paulo
oo 17.03.1910 Tfixy GEB. Hobbach
* 1 1.05. 1883/Grosseicholzheim
+ 02.02. 1948/Sao Paulo
4/6/e
Ida Weil
* 30.05.1873
4/6/f
Babette Weil
*04.11.1875
Ilse Weil
+ 30.03.1912
+ 23.06.1 96 1/Sao Paulo
oo Ludwig Mainzer
*03.01.1904
+ 21.04.1960
Leopold Weil
*02.04.1917 + 25.03.1966
oo Mina geb. Renka
*20.05.1913+ 15.10.1953
00 Margareta geb. Offsiowitz
* 14.08.1917
Siegfried Weil
*30.07.1918
+ 01.06.1972/New York
oo Belle Rush
*01.07.1916
Flora Weil
*22.03.1922
oo Kurt Frank
* 17.07.1909
Gary Ronald Weil Helen Thea Weil
*01.10.1953
oo Debra Ruth
Schlesinger
* 17.05.1960
* 17.04.1955
oo Lesly Bryan
Slaughter
Kinder:
Bryan Leo * 09.12.1976
Jeremy Davis
*23.10.1980
Marilyn Weil
* 17.01.1948
Terry Weil
*07.06.1951
oo Richy Lewitt oo Patricia Cambell
*03.10.1948
Kinder:
Crais* 1970
Keith
*07.01.1974
*23.04.1953
Kinder:
Jenifer * 08.1978
Ricky *21.10.1979
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
Stamm I - Linie 4
4/7
IsAK Weil
* 18.07.1837 + 25.05.1879
oo 14.09.1864 Ester Emelie geb. Grumbacher
* 1 8.03. 1 834/Wollenberg + 1 6.05. 1 893
4/7/a
Jette
* 15.08.1865
oo 11.08.1889
Isaak Kahn
4/7/b
Samuel Weil
*02.08.1867
4/7/c
Pauline Weil
*02.07.1869
4/7/d
Leopold Weil
* 15.10.1870
4/7/e
Lina Weil
*27.09.1872
4/7/f
Julius Weil
*29.06.1874
4/7/g
Luise Weil
*06.10.1876
Stamm I - Linie 5
Anschel Weil
* 07.02.1796
oo Mina geb. Leuthar/ Bayern
* 1796 + 09.04.1863
Löw
*03.04.1829
David
*22.03.1836
Josef Anschel
* 30.08.1841
1
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
Moises Feis - Weil Pferdehändler
* 19.10.1755 + 10.04.1831
OO FrATEL WiMPFHElMER
* 11.07.1769 + 23.02.1838
JSAAK WhL
* 10.08.1790
+ 30.08.1883
OO 14.03.1845
Bässle Reichert/
Berwangen
Kjnder;
Fanny * 29.08.1846
Ros *09. 10. 1848
JosuA * 18.08.1853
Isaak Moses Weil
* 10.08.1790
OO Johanna geb.Weil
*05.05.1806
+ 23.09.1844
Kinder:
Lazarus Weil *
13.07.1836
Feisel (Ferdinand)
* 12.05.1840
Dina Weil
*02.05.1792
+ 04.04.1878
Gilla Weil
* 17.06.1799
Josou Weil
*02.03.1812
+ 07.12.1857
OO 1 . Ehe:
Mina geb
* 1813 + 06.02.1850
OO 2. Ehe:
Babette geb. Boden-
städter/Malsch
Moses Weil
*20.09.1835 + 02.05.1914
OO 10.04.1861 Fanny
geb. Reis
* 07.05. 1837/Hoffenheim
+ 17.06.1890
^
Sigmund Weil
* 15.02.1862 + 21.11.1925
oo Cerlina geb. Heidenheimer
* 28.01 . 1 864/Berlichingen
Kinder:
Frieda * 06.04.1892
Julius * 28.05.1893
Hugo * 30.04.1899
Selma * 26.05.1904
Ella ♦ 08.08.1906
94
1
Stammbaum
DER Familie Weil
Stamm III
1
1
1
JsAAK Feis - Weil Pferdehändler
*07.11.1757
HÜRDEL GEB. WiMPFHEIMER
*05.07.1780+ 16.04.1842
1
2
3
1
Aaron Weil
Hanna Weil
Majla Weil
1
* 12.07.1802
* 14.11.1806
* 15.12.1810
+ 09.02.1817
+ 23.06.1886
oo Simon Roos/Speyer
oo Moses Reiss
1
* 1811 + 1862
1
2/1 2/2 2/3 2/4
Elka Ziobra Leopold Fanny * 09.01.1833
*05.06.1829 * 23.09.1831 * 18.02.1834+ 11.03.1888 +16.06.1863
oo Salamina (Wilhelmina)
GEB. OdENHEIMER
* 15.12.1833
+ 27.11.1916
Kinder:
Elise * 02.07.1860
Auguste * 02.10.1861
oo Josef Freundlich
Gustav *06.10.1862
+ 04.08.1897
Rosa * 21.06.1864
oo Isidor Isack
Emma *02.10.1865
Moses * 1 0.09. 1 866
+ 23.08.1870
Rebbeka * 06.06. 1 868 j
oo Max May
Karl *28.05.1871
95
I
Anthology of Family Memories and History
By Anne Goetter Wolff Kaiser
Descendant of Fanny and Babette Goetter and Emilie Grombacher
Josef (Jessel)Weil and Fanny Goetter
Karl (Solomon) Weil and Babette Goetter
Emilie Grombacher and Isaak Weil
(
Anne Goetter Wolff Kaiser Descendant of Babette and Fanny Goetter
E-Mail written to Lillian Weil Bernstein from Anne Goetter Kaiser
E-mail was sent February 20, 2002
Dear Lillian,
I was delighted to receive your message. Like you I know very little about our joint ancestors, the
GOETTER family and the little 1 know I have learned only during the last five years and believe me, there
is a great deal I do not know.
1 was bom in and grew up in Mannheim, Germany, the oldest daughter of Dr Alfred WOLFF, a gynecologist and
obstetrician and Paula bom GOETTER. In 1939, my parents sent me with a Kindertransport to England,
where eventually 1 studied nursing.
My parents and maternal grandmother were deported to Camp de Gurs in Southon France in October 1 940, where
my father was volunteer physician in charge of the camp women's hospital. Fortunately, my family already
had visas for USA, when they were deported and eventually, after some hair raising adventures were
able to reach USA, where 1 joined them in 1947.
My mother must have been have been a third cousin of your father. Max WEIL. MY great grandfather Moses
GOETTER (1820 - 1916) was a butcher and cattle trader in Ehrstadt. Ehrstadt is and was a small village
about two miles from Grombach, w4iere your great grandmother Fannie was bom. Grombach, Steinsfurt, and
Ehrstadt are all near Sinsheim.
Your great great grandparents were Israel GOETTER (1798 - ?) and Fanni BAER (1803 - ? Israel and Fanni
had at least eight children. Israel like his father was a butcher and cattle trader.
Israel's father, Loeb GOETTER was bom in 1 753 and died in Grombach in 1 826. He and his wife Friedel are
our common ancestors. In 1808 when Jews in Baden were ordered, by the state, to register permanent family
names, Loeb registered the family name GOETTER. This is the only Jewish GOETTER family 1 have come across;
however, among non-Jews, along the Neckar River, the GOETTER family name is common.
Going back to your great Grandmother Fanny's family, her younger brother Josef GOETTER ( 1 834 Rombach and
died 1901 Montgomery. Alabama USA) emigrated to USA circa 1 850, at the age of 1 5. Josef served in Confederate
Army and later established a flourishing department store n Montgomery, Alabama.
Enough for tonight. 1 am looking forward to hearing more about your life and that of your ancestors
Sincerely, Anne
April 2002
Family Memories of Anne Goetter Kaiser
Dear Marianne,
Sorry I have not written to you for some time, but 1 had two bouts of hospitalization about a month apart.
Fortunately, I am doing well now, but 1 have to resist the temptation to join the Weil reunion. 1 have
enjoyed hearing about your elaborate preparations and thank you for including me. 1 would like to receive a
copy of Mr Bastl's report and if possible a copy of the WEIL reunion book and a copy of the history of the
Jews in Steinsftirt. Please let me know an appropriate contribution for same. .
Though it is probably too late for the WEIL family book 1 am sending you a summary of my own femily
memories and my limited researdi of the Goetter family. You will find that I have summarized a good
deal of the information I have sent you already. My sources are the memories of Karl Weil fi'om Port
Gibson, obituaries in Montgomery, Alabama newspapers, the list of surnames chosen by the Jews in Grombach,
Baden in 1 808 and the Births, Deaths and Marriages of the Jews living in Grombach and Ehrstadt, Baden 1810
to 1 870. Also two German books, "Die Juedischen Gemeinden in Baden" by Franz Hundsnurscher and.
"Erinerungen und Zeugnisse juedischer Geschichte in Baden/Wuertenberg" by Joachim Hahn.
I was bom in Mannheim, Germany, oldest daughter of Dr Alfi'ed and Paula Wolff nee Goetter. Mannheim wa a
medium size town and my parents, my younger sister Doris and I lived a comfortable life in the years
between the end of World War I and the Hitler years or so it appeared to me. My father was a gynecologist
and obstetrician, my mother, as it was customary took care of the household, though she was a trained nurse.
I remember hearing-threatening tales of a man named Hitler long before 1933, though 1 believe my parents
tried to keep this information fi-om me. After 1933, my parents enrolled me in a Catholic School hoping that
1 would be shielded there from the worst of anti-Semitism. Before 1 entered the school my
grandmother visited the local bishop, whom she knew from her charity work and got his promise, that there
would be no attempts to convert me to Catholicism and there were no such attempts in the five years 1
attended the school.
Unfortunately my father, who had served in the German Army throughout World War 1 and my mother, who had
been a nurse in the local army hospital did not realize the threat to our existence until it was almost too late to escape
Germany. In 1939 they struggled to obtain affidavits from my mother's
cousins in USA, generously granted by cousins she had never met. In 1939, with a quota number that provided
little hope for entry to USA before late 1940, with tanks rumbling past our house daily for the nearby
German/French border and with an imminent threat of war they decided to send my sister to my mother's brother,
Richard Goetter, who lived with his family in Brussels. About the same time, they sent me with a
"Kindertranspcrt" to my mother's second cousin in England. 1 remained in England during World War II.
In the fall of 1 940 my parents and my maternal grandmother, Anna GOETTER, widow of Adolf GOETTER,
(whose father Moses GOETTER was a first cousin of Fanny and Babette GOETTER) at last received the
coveted American visas and had obtained tickets for November 1940 for the only escape route of the time, a
journey on the Transsiberian Railroad. But this was not to be. On October 22, 1940 all Jews living in
Mannheim, Baden and the Palatinate (Pfalz) including my parents and my grandmother were transported by the
German authorities at one hour's notice to Camp de Gurs in the foot hills of the Pyrenees including
babies and men and women of over ninety years. Camp de Gurs was a detention camp under the supervision of the
French authorities. It was fenced in by barbed wire and armed guards, food was inadequate and hygienic
conditions deplorable.
Several of the old people died during the 3-/'2 day rail journey. Many more, young and old succumbed in the
following months in the camp's primitive condition to starvation, typhoid, cholera, tuberculosis and
despair. For the next five months, my father acted as volunteer physician in charge of the camp's women's
hospital. He has left an unpublished 1 1 -page report of the harsh camp conditions and self help measures taken
by many inmates to improve the lot of those incarcerated there. 1 will be happy to send a copy to
any member of the WEIL family.
In March of 194 1 my father was transferred to another French detention camp. Less Milles near Marseilles, my
mother and grandmother were permitted to live in Marseilles, thanks to their USA visas, which were now
revalidated by the American Consul. With great difficulties, they obtained passage on a French cargo ship, the
WINNIPEG, which slowly steamed across the U-boat infested sea, destination Martinique, then a French
concession. Again, their dream of freedom was exploded, when the Winnipeg was captured by the Free
Dutch Navy on the high seas as a suspected spy ship and escorted to Trini^d. Trinidad meant another
detention camp for the "dangerous enemy aliens", more barbed wire, and more interrogation. Eventually though,
they were allowed to proceed to New York City, where again they were retained for two weeks in Ellis
Island. Despite being frightened of another deportation, niy mother's name had been misspelled on a
document, their most poignant memory of Ellis Island was the good food and a change ot bed linen every day.
Eventually they were released and settled in New York City. My father became an ambulance attendant and
studied for the New York State Medical Board, my mother worked as a baby nurse. My grandmother joined
a sister in law in Texas she had never met and baby sat for her new family's grandchildren.
In 1947, 1 rejoined my family in Brooklyn, N.Y. I had completed nurse's training in England and become a
State Registered Nurse. A year in New York City 1 passed the New York State Registered Nurse Examination
and obtained advanced Nursing Education at Hunter College and New York University. In 1960, 1 married
Bernhard Kaiser, who was bom in Berlin. We have one son, who is an architect in Westchester County, New
York
And now to the GOETTER connection. My grandfather, Adolf ( Wolf) GOETTER was bom in Ehrstadt, a small
village near Steinsfiirt and Grombach. He was one of four children of Moses GOETTER, a butcher. Adolf left
home for Mannheim at age 16, whwe he was apprenticed to a ^irtmaker. Eventually, he opened a custom made
shirt and men's haberdashery store near the center of the town.
His father, Moses, lived in Ehrstadt all his life and reached 98 years. In October 2000 1 visited Ehrstadt
and spoke to the present owner of his house. She told me, that when her parents bought the house it had a
special room, which could be opened to the sky, apparently a Sukkah. Another family story relates,
that when Moses GOETTER was 90 years old he help with the hay harvest. When he fell off the hay wagon he
just dusted himself off and went on with balling hay.
Moses , his parents and grandparents like the members of the Steinsfiirt WEIL family and the Grombach
GOETTERs are buried on the "Waldfriedhof ' in Waibstadt. Outside this cemetery is the WEIL
Mauseleum, erected by Herman WEIL, who made his fortune in Argentina. When I visited the cemetery in
October 2000 local high school students were cleaning the Mauseleum in preparation for a memorial service to
commemorate the deportation of the local Jews on October 22, 1940.
Moses GOETTER was a first cousin of the great grandmothers of many members of the Steinsfiirt WEIL
family, the sisters Fanny and Babette GOETTER daughter Israel GOETTER and Fanny BAER, granddaughters of
Loeb GOETTER (1755 - 1826) of Grombach and his wife Fratel
(1756 - 1826). Before Jews were required to take family names in 1810 Loeb GOETTER was known as LOEW
JOSEPH.
Fanny and Babette were members of a large family of 9 children. Their brother Joseph (1834 Gromach - 1901
Montgomery, Alabama USA) left home for USA at the age of 16. He joined the Confederate Army at the
beginning of the U.S. Civil War and served in the third Alabama Regiment. In 1864, he married Leonora
Ezekiel of New Orleans. L.A.. They had 7 children. Amongst the names of their descendants are
BERNHEIMER. GOLDSTEIN. EHRICH, ELDERS, SCHWAB OR SCHWAUB AND GODCHAUX. Joseph
prospered in Montgomery and in 1880 owned the largest department store of the
town. According to Karl WEIL of Port Gibson, Miss, he brought several of his WEIL nephews to the Southern
United States as well as his younger brother Louis GOETTER, ( 1 848 Grombach - 1 887 Montgomery).
To date 1 have not found any of Joseph's descendants, but I am still searching. I am in touch with several
descendants of the Ehrstadt GOETTERs. I am looking forward to hearing about the WEIL family reunion and
wish all the attendees, their children and grandchildren a produtiive meeting, and health and
happiness in the future. I will be happy to hear from everyone. My e- mail address is akaiscr2(X)()i'iä<vahoo.com
My mailing address can be obtained from our cousin Marianne.
Cordially, Anne Kaiser New York City
MEDICAL AND SOCIAL EXPERIENCES IN A FRENCH CONCENTRATION CAMP, 1940 - 1941
Transcribed by Anne Goetter WolflF Kaiser
Dr Alfred Wolff, bom in Ludwighafen, Palatinate, Germany in 1885 - died in Brooklyn, N.Y. USA in
1949, was a gynecologist and obstetrician in Mannheim in South Western Germany from 1920 - 1940. On
October 22, 1940 the Nazis deported most of the Jews still living in Mannheim and the nearby province of
the Palatinate to Camp de Guts in Southern France. Dr. Wolff, his wife, Paula and his 73 year old mother-
in-law, Anna Goetter, were amongst the deportees. From October 1940 to March 1941 Dr Wolff assumed
the voluntary leadership of the camp's Women's Hospital.
Thanks to Affidavits provided by family and friends in USA, he and his family were permitted to leave the
camp for a Transit Camp in Marseilles in 1941. He reached the U.S.A. in June or July 1941 following
various adventures, which included travelling steerage in the hold of a freighter bound for Martinique,
capture of the vessel in the Caribbean by the free Dutch Navy, internment in Trinidad and detention on
Ellis Island. One year later Dr Wolff passed the examination of the State of New York Medical Board and
settled in Brooklyn, N. Y.
In 1 944 he was asked to share his experiences with a Sub Committee of U.N.R.A.A., studying camp
management in preparation to caring for the floods of refugees expected in Europe. The following is the
text of his speech found amongst his papers after his untimely death in 1949.
Reading his speech we should keep in mind, what was and was not known in USA in 1944 about the Jews
stranded in Nazi occupied France. At the time of his speech Dr Wolff probably was aware, that his former
fellow camp mates had been moved from Camp de Guts. He does not appear to suspect that most of them
had been shipped in cattle wagons to certain death in Ausdiwitz in 1942 and 1943.
Dr Wolff lacked access to official Camp de Guts records and estimates that close to 10,000 persons
were deported from the Mannheim area. The Encyclopedia Judaica gives the number as 7,200. Other
sources name somewhat higher or lower figures.
Dr Wolffs recollections give vivid testimony to a tragic part of our history and are a remarkable
memorial to the ability of a group of deported Jews to organize in the face of adversity.
Anne Wolff Kaiser ,
March 1997
MEDICAL AND SOCIAL EXPERIENCES IN A FRENCH CONCENTRATION CAMP. 1940-1941
Two preliminary remarks as an introduction: At first the following talk is not a "Greuelmaerchen", horror
legend, as our dear fnend Dr. Goebbels used to say, when Allied newspapers wrote something, which did
not please his fellow countrymen, but only the real, plain truth. Only I moderated many facts and I
suppressed others because I am not here to provide you a sleepless night or a nightmare.
Secondly; what is the purpose of telling you these stories. There is a practical reason. Our country
and the others must now begin to work at some p>ost war questions. And the post war world will have
to deal with three big problems:
1 . The new social order,
2. The relocation and resettlement of the millions of demobilized men and women, and the organization of
the post war industry.
3. The problem of the large block of stranded, homeless people who, dislocated in foreign countries cannot
return to their home land, have no papers, no hope. These people, sick mentally as well as physically must
be resettled, reeducated, and restored.
This latter problem is one of the most important. Its solution, a very difficult one, will need some
sacrifice from the victors. Some renouncements from the kind of people, who believe they have time
honored rights and privileges. The real solution will give the best proof to the world that democracy and
freedom are not only words, but that they have real content. This solution will require that the people
of the victorious nations do not forget how people have suffered and starved during their internment.
And now the facts: On a sunny Tuesday morning, the 22nd of October, 1940, all Jews (racial) of Baden and
of the neighboring Palatinate were arrested at one blow, about 1 1 ,000 persons.
Some hundreds committed suicide; a small number were allowed to return to their home, because they were
too sick travel. In our group were two persons more than 99 years old and about 30 infants under one year.
The arrested were allowed to take with them 100 Marks (about $ 40) and 100 pounds of luggage. All other
property was sealed and declared confiscated Jewish property (Judengut). Later during our stay at Camp
Gurs we heard, that all our bank accounts were seized, all houses and furniture sold by auction.
The next morning we were herded into old railroad cars and traveled in a journey of three days and two
terrible nights through Alsace, Burgoyne and the Rhone Valley to the little town of Oleron near the Spanish
border not far from the Pyrenees. The train stopped only once. At this stop, we received our only meal
during this long trip consisting of one cup of green pea soup and two slices of bread. From Oleron the
French military officials took us with cars to Camp de Gurs. This camp had been built three years
previously for the Spanish Loyalists. It had been empty for some time, but was used for the internment of
women of German nationality in May and June 1940. Since that time it had been again nearly empty; only
used by the French military authorities for storage of ammunition etc.
We arrived at night and found greatly surprised French Authorities. They had expected 900 deportees and
9,800 arrived. Our first impression was terrible. We were nearly 10.000 persons, most of them 50 years or
older, exhausted by the long trip, by terror acts experienced during the expulsion. We stood in empty
barracks of primitive structure. These barracks had no windows, no beds, no diairs, and no tables. We
found some empty bunks without straw. We had no covers, no blankets, no stoves; nothing. In addition,
heavy rain changed the surroundings of the barracks to deep mud. When we came, nothing was organized,
neither food nor distribution of it, nor the daily most primitive hygiene installations.
After the first 24 hours we realized, that the any hope of assistance from the French administration in
our desperate situation, was futile. We were forced to believe that G d only helps those who help
themselves. We set to work and after a hard week we had set up an organization amongst the camps
inmates. We arranged a kind of self government, selected a group to represent our interests with the French
administration and arranged the frame work of health and medical care in so far as this was possible
without any sanitary installations, without any instruments, without any medications.
May be these brave and selfless men and women, who worked for their fellowmen only for humanitarian
reasons, could have created a tolerable camp life, if they had not been hampered by French red tape and a
French Administration afraid of the Gestapo.
But I am not here to accuse. I hope that people better chosen than I will do it on the big days of
calling to account on the end of this war. I wish to resume to tell what we as physicians saw and
experienced during this hard time.
In addition to the 9,800 Jews from Baden and Palatinate, 3,800 (mostly male) internees from other
camps were sent to Gurs during November and December 1940. Most of them were German and Austrian
Jews, who had settled in Belgium and France during- 1933 - 1939, like Dr Meyer. Out of 13,800 persons
1,055 died in the first five months, equivalent to a 23. 1% yearly mortality rate assuming that the death rate
had continued in the same manner. Such a gigantic mortality is usually seen only in plague or cholera
epidemics. What were the reasons for this tremendously high figure — primarily the lack
of food, second epidemics of dysentery, encephalitis, and typhoid.
2
1 . Food: Food in France was in very short supply. The Germans took away many the French harvest.
Many skilled farmers had been killed, were prisoners of war, or had fled to England or North Africa. A
great deal of food disappeared in the flourishing black market.
Whatever the reasons, we got really nothing. The gang of thieves called Vidiy officials absconded with the
pittance granted us by the government. As you can imagine, the food we did receive was of the worst
quality. For the first time in my long life I saw people die from nothing but hunger. Not one case, but about
60 (1 no longer recall the exact figure).
The sick were a terrible sight. They came to us with severe edema, swollen from head to toe, with painful
kidney troubles, with serious psychological and nervous damages. We saw real hunger delirium,
psychological confusion, and amnesia. We were crxnpelled to move many of these starving persons to an
asylum for the mentally ill. The prognosis for the sick was very bad. Consider the following: A young
man at rest weighing approximately 125 pounds needs about 1800 - 2000 calories daily. Our camp food
contained only 900 - 1200 calories daily and many our people had to work on this diet.
The lack of vitamins was as damaging as the lack of calories. We saw a lot of vitamin deficiencies e.g. real
Scurvy as well as Neuritis and Anemia due to lack of vitamin C and B, Osteoporosis especially in children
and expectant mothers due to lack of vitamin D. Not all those affected died immediately from hunger.
Many suffered from nervous breakdowns, depression and delusions(they believed they were siimers etc),
others became so weak, their lives extinguished like a candle bums down.
In addition heart diseases. Diabetes, and relatively simple infectious diseases became worse and
often deadly from lack of resistance. Especially Tuberculosis which really depends on the nutrition of
the threatened.
Tuberculosis of the lungs is usually a very rare disease amongst European Jews of the Twentieth
Century. Now the danger grew day by day in a population exposed to malnutrition, dirt and the
terrible sanitary conditions.
Luckily, we had two big helpers in our fight against hunger, the parcels sent by relatives from USA and the
local French black market. When you had money (especially the desired dollar bills) the French guards
brought you all the food and delicatessen (e.g.pate de foi, "hickens, canned fish and fhiit) you
desired. The best work done by the physicians in this camp was the fight against hunger. Our first step was
to give very detailed description of the situation to neutral sources, which were connected with the big
humanitarian American organi2ations. This could not be done by mail because our mail was censored. TTie
French censors destroyed every true description of the situation we lived under.
TTie result of our cry for help was the so-called "Quaker Feeding" funded by the "Baden Pfalz Hilfe", a
daughter organization of the Self-Help for Emigres from Central Europe. Anti-Semitic feeling in France
and fear of the Gestapo pushed the Quakers in the foreground. Everybody must acknowledge the excellent
administration and unselfish humanitarian work done by the Brethren. The food distributed by them
consisted of a carbohydrate meal of 500 - 600 calories. Later we also received different vitamins. About
600, later 800 of the most deprived received this daily additional meal. I am sure that a big number of those
receiving the additional feeding were saved from death. This action continued over 19 months until
July 1942 and about 420,000 portions of this life saving food came to Camp de Guts. About 75% of the
cost of $ 50,000 was procured by collections of the Baden/Pfalz Hilfe.
The Swiss Red Cross also gave an additional breakfast to 400-500 children for more than one year. The
breakfast consisted of a pint of milk or cocoa made with milk, 8 ounces of bread or crackers and one ounce
of cheese. I can assure you that many the children were in better nutritional state than the adults. In favor of
the French administration, 1 can say that they always had an open hand for children and young mothers.
We received every day fresh vegetables, eggs, and milk for them and the barrack for the nursing mothers
was a bright spot in the disconsolate misery of Gurs.
3
Now the second terrible chapter: the epidemics. Within the 5 months 1 spent in this camp there were
more than 2,400 cases of infectious diseases with at least 680 deaths, may be more. But I am sure that at
least 2,000 of these cases and 600 deaths could have been avoided, if the French administration had heard
our admonitions and had shown a sense for the fundamentals of hygiene, cleanliness and humanity.
One example only: When Dysentery broke out, we came to the French Colonel with recommendations for
elaborate quarantine orders, with a request for sufficient disinfectant materials (which were stored within
the camp), with a request for direct orders that the latrines must be cleaned.
The answer was a nice smile: "You inexperienced doctors, I have served in Africa for many, long
years. 1 know exactly, this is not deadly Dysentery, but a harmless Enteritis." All necessary measures to
combat the outbreak were denied. Yet only five days later it was too late. Then every day ten or more
people died fi’om this " harmless disease".
A second story: I found in my hospital a pharmacy, but it was completely empty. I went to the French Chief
Medical Officer with a very small list of the most necessary medications, especially for diseases of the
heart and infections. The answer: " You German doctors are all misinformed concerning therapeutics. You
kill your patients with too mudi medication; therefore, I have to educate you and your friends. The best
way to do this is to deprive you of all your medications."
As 1 will tell you later, we had a very nice medical society in Gurs. One day we had an interesting
discussion regarding the Dysentery epidemic. The internist of the male hospital Professor Koenigsfeld
of Freiburg stated during the discussion: "Give me 50 sanitary workers and for each one 10 pounds of soap
and a broom and I will stop this epidemic". The French Chief of Medicine declared his speech to be
impertinent arrogance and an insult against the Nation Francaise, as it implied that the French Nation had
no concept of cleanliness. Professor Freiburg was punished.
To complete these stories. We believed with reasonable certainty that we had to recognize the type
of Dysentery we were dealing with through post mortem examinations and bacteriological findings. The
French administration forbade this. We suspected the French feared that a scientific clarification of the
reasons of this epidemic would uncover the big scandal of he abominable hygienic conditions in the camp.
I could speak for hours about the craziness, the bad will and the fi"ivolity of the French Vichy
administration. Just now, I will only tell you that we had three epidemics during my stay in the camp: The
Dysentery epidemic with over 600 deaths, perhaps 550 preventable.
The second epidemic was a peculiar type of Encephalitis, surely spread by body lice; we found
this vermin always on sick people. About 50% of those infected died within the first ten days of their
illness. The rest were suffering for a long time from the consequences of this mysterious disease. The
third epidemic was an outbreak of Typhoid Fever. There were about 150 cases with approximately a 10%
death rate.
Speaking about the contagious diseases in Camp de Gurs we doctors had to look on (stand with crossed
arms) and could not bring help. We had nothing, no instruments, no isolaticfi possibilities, no
medications, and no disinfectants. And with a little bit of good will help foi hundreds, yet thousands could
have been possible.
After a long struggle against dirt, mud, lice and rats, the carriers of the infections and after a
fierce fight for better hygiene installations, for more and better medications and for more therapeutic
possibilities we saw a little improvement toward spring of 1941. And as I have heard from the few
people who after 194 1 arrived in this country from Camp de Gurs, the contagious diseases disappeared
slowly. Other diseases however destroyed many lives. Especially Tuberculosis, which raged in a
particularly malignant and fatal form.
I cannot finish this chapter without thanking all those who helped in unselfish and devoted ways to save
the lives of these unhappy people. I would like to thank the staff of the Swiss, Belgian and Dutch Red
Cross, who not only sent a commission to observe the disaster, but also brought practical help with
medications, dressings and skilled nurses.
4
p
I would also like to thank the "Eclaireurs" and "Eclaireuses" a French Jewish boy and girl scouts
organization, who on the advice of a refugee, collected medical samples from French physicians for
us. 1 can tell you that for months these samples were the main source of supplies for our pharmacy.
Thanks are due to the American organizations like Baden/Pfalz Help, Selfhelp, HIAS, Quakers, Unitarians
and the Frey Committee of the A.L.P. who spent a lot of money for money, food and sanitary materials.
And especially we must thank numerous unknown internees, who as nurses, orderlies, doctors worked day
and night without one cent salary or other compensation.
The ancient Greeks always followed affer a stirring tragedy with a comedy. May the following short talk
about my social experiences be regarded as the same. 1 believe that most of the internees in Gurs would
have collapsed in a short time, if a rich cultural life had not compensated for the temble daily life.
Soon after arrival in the camp we, physicians, realized that only a rich level of entertainment of
the internees would lift the ghoulish depression, the so called "Barbed Wire Disease" . We persuaded the
French Authorities to make available a so called "cultural barrack" with a primitive stage etc,
furnished and painted in a fiiendly manner.
We surveyed our fellow camp inmates for special talents and organized those we found in every Hot
(Section of the Camp separated from other sections by guards and barbed wire).
A committee of artists, teachers. Professional musicians and physicians provided leadership for the
entire organization. A real surprise was the number of gifted persons present. We had two conductors with
about 25 professional musicians who formed a jazz band and an orchestra for classical concerts. In
addition, there were 8 professional dancers and 8 actors and actresses as well as many gifted amateurs. We
counted two composers, one magician, sorry he could not change our internment, one ventriloquist and
many others. Two variety troops were formed who, with frequent changes of programs, performed in front
of overflowing audiences in the "culture barracks" of the various Hots. Entrance was free or a very small
sum was charged when expenses for new costumes or decorations forced us to charge something.
One of the oddest stories of this time was the reaction of the Frendi Camp Authorities. They agreed
with all we called the "Little Arts", whereas they were not interested in any serious programs like the
excellent reproductions of the Violin Sonata by Reger, The orchestra concerts with Beethoven, Schumann,
Brahms programs. Money was always lacking when the doctors wanted something for the starving people,
for the hospital or the pharmacy. Money was always available when one of the band leaders or stage
directors wanted something. No physician got a day’s vacation outside the camp. But the artists where
allowed to visit Pau or Oleron, the nearest cities, whenever they desired.
All performances were on a very high plateau. The stage director of the Variety Group was a former
German editor and later a member of a political night club on Montmartre. He wrote nice verses and
excellent political satires. We also had a good mixed chorus which doubled as choir during religious
services. In addition to the light and serious music, we had first class lectures. 1 remember wonderful
hours listening to talks about Modem Art, geopolitics, modem development in Biology, Physics
and Chemistry all given by excellent and well known experts. I especially took delight in a series of
lectures with the sentimental title: "Leave taking from a Beautiful Past" many famous men were
speakers. The first one was Professor Pringsheim, brother in law of Thomas Mann", who spoke about the
Munich of old times. The actor and pupil of Max Reinha'it, the gifted Hans Berent discussed the
culture of Berlin before the First World War. An enthusiastic lover of the all arts, a former Mannheim
representative and lawyer sfjoke about the Mannheim Theater.
We did not forget the education of the internees. There was a great need for lessons in all Hots and in
all layers of the camp population. For the children we found enough teachers to establish a real
elementary school with six classes. For the older youth, we formed high school classes in French,
English, Spanish, Mathematics, and Physics. It was very important to keep the young people busy. The
school attendance was very good particularly as the Swiss Children's Breakfast was part of the lessons.
5
For the adults we arranged language courses in French, English with over 2000 participants, 400 attended
classes in Spanish and 200 - 400 in Hebrew. Professional groups, lawyers, teachers, doctor also
met. As mentioned previously we had a very good medical society. I gave two talks, one on Modem
Obstetrics, another time 1 spoke about Hunger Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation due to
starvation).
In addition to the vocational education and the entertainment, we used all available methods to fight
the lethal monotony. A foot ball club and an athletic "club" were started, though I still do not know how
the participants were able to fimction, so many were in poor physical condition. Later when we received
some games thanks to YMCA, Chess, Bridge and Skat championships were fought out.
All these diversions were urgently needed in the fight against the "Barbed Wire Psychosis". In addition,
many problems had to be solved in this small community. They included preparation for emigration,
assistance of the financially weak, distribution of all the money and materials collected abroad. This was
all handled by a voluntary committee, the C.S.S., Commitee Social Secours, under the excellent
chairmanship of Rabbi Dr Anspacher. The committee had delegates from every Hot and paid special
attention to the care of the aged, children, and pregnant women. Committee members settled many
disputes and solved many difficulties. They worked without showing preference to religion, country of
origin or political opinion. They did excellent work quietly without friction. Many sacrifices and a great
deal of heroism marked the terrible days of Camp De Gurs.
I am honored to be able to work together with the Sub Committee of U.N.R.A.A as an expert on camp
sanitation. You should realize that the Allied Nations estimate, that there will be 3 - 400,000 perhaps more
of these helpless, poor, homeless people when the liberation of the occupied territories becomes a fact.
Until now there are over 90,000 behind our lines, amongst them 30,000 German, Austrian, Yugoslav Jews
in Southern Italy, over 1 8,000 in Morocco There are refugees from Germany and France, Spanish Loyalists
and former members of the "Legion Estrangers" (French Foreign Legion). There are also 40,000 fugitives
from Greece and other Balkan States in Egypt. These in addition to the gigantic mass of refugees we expect
must be sheltered, nursed fed, reeducated, and resettled.
Much of this work will be done in camps until the future of these poor people is decided. Confinement
in camps is bound to be traumatic. I hope my speech will help you to learn from the cruel mistakes made in
Camp de Gurs, and that the camps to be established by U.N.R.A.A. will differ tremendously from the
nightmare we experienced thwe. 1 hope that these camps will be the best advertisement for our
interpretation of DEMOCRACY, FREEDOM and HUMANITY.
Written by Dr Alfred Wolff(1885 - 1949), Brooklyn
N.Y. probable date 1944.
Transcribed by his daughter Anne Wolff Kaiser November
1996.
A German book about the Deportation from Mannheim toGurs lists the following deportees with the
surname WEIL. Their given name, maiden name, address at the time of deportation and year of birth.
Weil ? bom Westheimer Moltkestr 6 1865
Weil Adelheid B 7 3 1865
Weil Amo Tattersallstr 18 1923
Weil Artur S 6 28 1 880
Weil Auguste bom Oppenheimer F 2 10 1889
Weil BcrtaC79 1866
Weil Blondine bom Mayer, Kirchenstr4 1862
Weil Elfried bom Meyer Tattersallstr 18 1886
Weil Else born Feibelmann Moltkestr 6 1897
Weil Frieda C 8 15 1886
6
Weil Isidor F2 10 1880
Weil Israel Lameystr 27 1880
Weil Julius Moltkestr 6 1886
Weil-Kander Karl Rosengartenstr 1 1 1869
Weil Lina bom Hirsch S 6 28 1880
Weil Markus L 14 5 1877
Weil Mathilde bom Kander Rosengartenstr 1 a 1 879
Weil Max Tattersallstr 18 1888
Weil Moritz B 7 3 1 863
WeilPauIaB7 3 1873
Weil Selma L12 11 1889
Weil Selma Schopenhauerstr 14 1890
Weil Sofie bom Ettlinger Lameystr 27 1 889
WEIL Sofie bom Bloch Sophienstr
Weil Sofie bom Lussheimer M 1 2 1865
Weil Sofie L 12 11 1884
7
OUR TRIP TO MANNHEIM AND GURS OCTOBER 16 TO NOVEMBER 2, 2000
ON FLIGHT DELTA 106. MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 8 PM
By Anne Goetter Wolff Kaiser
It is hard to believe, but here we are, Bemie and I, on Delta Flight 106, first stop Frankfurt am Main -
destination Bombay. Last week we received an invitation from the Oberbuergermeister of Mannheim,
the town where Doris and I were bom, went to school and lived till 1939, to visit the town, attend a
Memorial Concert for the Jews deported to Camp de Guts on October 22, 1940 and join a group of
Christians and Jews traveling to Guts - 600 miles away. Our parents and grandmother were part of the
Gurs deportation. More of this later.
I had sworn never to return to Mannheim and had kept to this resolution for 61 years, except for a fleeting
visit to our grandfather's grave (Adolf Goetter) in 1976. While 1 had heard about other Mannheimers, who
had returned for a pleasant experience I did not feel ready to accept the hospitality of Mannheim officials.
Yet, here I am prepared to be at least outwardly pleasant and smiling. What happened?
When our father (Alfred Wolff) died in 1949 Doris and 1 found amongst his papers the text of a speech, he
had given to a sub committee of UNRRA( United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) in
1944. This committee was looking for persons with first hand internment and concentration camp
experience, to help its member's plan for the eventual release of camp inmates in Europe. Our father, who
had been the volunteer chief of the women's hospital in Gurs from the day of his deportation to March
1941, was one of the persons, they consulted. For many years 1 had put this report aside and could not read
it. About 12 years ago I retyped it and cleaned up some typing and grammatical errors. Later 1 began
gingerly to speak with survivors of Gurs and began to search for published and unpublished material. At
the Leo Baeck Institute in Manhattan I found a hand written German manuscript about medical problems in
Gurs, titled "REPORT BY AN UNKNOWN PHYSICIAN", and discovered, that it had been written by our
father. Both the handwriting and the content were his.
One thing led to another and when I heard about the Mannheim/Gurs trip, I felt very strongly, that 1
should honor my parents and grandmother and all they went through, by participating in the pilgrimage to
Gurs. So, here we are on the first leg of the journey. Poor Bemie got dragged along to act as my
"Begleiter" (companion).
MANNHEIM. HOTEL WARTBURG. TUESDAY. OCTOBER 17, 1;00 P.M.
Bemie and I decided to explore the Breite Strasse for a lunch stop, strolled to the Neckarbruecke and ended
up in one the many restaurants offering tempting, high caloric meals and cakes. Settled on a Schnitzel
roll" as one of the less fat laden items!! Smoking is pervasive everywhere in Mannheim, here in the
restaurant, on television, in the street. We fled to the restaurant's glass enclosed non smoking area, but
even here, the smell of smoke pursued us.
Later, while Bemie was catching up on sleep I take a long walk through the center of Mannheim, looking
for traces of my childhood, trying to relive memories. Mannheim appears to have shrunk, the streets 1
pedaled through so often, are much narrower then I recall, cars crawl along narrow, congested, one way
lanes. There is more greenery, where once one building was tightly pressed to its neighbor. Almost all
buildings are post war and built in a vaguely familiar style. The plot of the National Theater is today a
swatch of lawn with park benches, the Jesuitenkirsche and the Sternwarte however are just the way 1
remember them. The Breite Strasse , main street traversing the inner city, is a real United Nation, scarfed
Turkish women, Chinese students, African salesmen, Spanish workers and blond Germans crowd the
sidewalks. The lingua franca is a broad Mannemerisch. But the side streets are quiet and dreamy and 1 am
again struck by, how everything appears to have shmnk. Die Breite Strasse and the Planken are reserved
1
for pedestrians and multiple car trams, which follow each other in rapid progression. This is not the
Mannheim, 1 dreaded. It is a stranger, a quaint European town with a familiar
name. This town cannot hurt me any more with its quiet streets, Turkish neighborhoods, tolling church
bells. It jogs no emotions, only when 1 pass the unchanged "Zeughaus", a museum 1 visited frequoitly
with our father on Sunday mornings, after he had called on his patients at nearby hospitals, did the
tears come. 1 continue to stroll to B 6, site of my High School and find few familiar landmarks. The
houses on this block are now part of the University of Mannheim. One house looks a little like the
apartment house occupied by my old school. Was it the one, I cannot tell. 1 remember the air raid practice
in the school’s basement. How scared 1 was, of the war I was sure would come, my fear fed by my mother’s
memories and vivid tales of Mannheim during World War I.
It is called an ’INFORMATIONSTREFFEN’ in the Wartburg’s meeting room. There are many words of
welcome from town government officials, representatives of the Mannheim Jewish community. We
are presented with a book "Zeiten Wandel, Frauen Generationen in der Geschichte Mannheims (Changing
Times, Generations of Women in the History of Mannheim) by Ms Brigitte Becker from the Stadtardiiv
and 1 am interviewed by Ms Anke Phillips, a reporter from the Mannheimer Morgen, a daily newspaper.
We meet officially with our "guardian angels" Anna Argiantzi and Guenther Heinrich, members of the
Oberbuergermeisters staff and are presented with two week passes for the Mannheim tram system.
Later we troop to the Stadtkasse, where we receive V.I.P treatment and I am reimbursed for my airplane
fare in German Marks. My "Begleiter" is on his own. The bank is next to C,1 ,6, the street address of our
Grandparents’ house, now a five story business building, no resemblance to the old-fashioned three
story house graced by an "Erker", from where we watched the "Fashing Parade" (mardi gras) go by. Our
Grandfather’s men’s haberdashery store has been replaced by a top-notch bookstore, a Goman copy of
Barnes and Nobles. The modernistic building opposite bears no trace of the pre war Kaufhaus, where a
large toy store window displayed model railroad trains at Christmas time, diving in and out of tunnels and
thundering over bridges 1 knew the block would look different, but 1 still find it hard to replace my
childhood memories with the current reality. The Paradeplatz, a park like open landmark at the
intersection of the town’s main streets is unchanged. And here is the comer, where my grandmother
(Anna Goetter) and 1 first heard the fateful shout from a street newsdealer: ’’ Hitler ist Reichskanzler!"
(Hitler is chancellor). The day was January 30, 1933 and we were returning from Friday evening services.
1 was ten years old at the time and knew exactly, what these words meant.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2;00 P.M.
In the afternoon "Senioren Nachmittag ’’ in the Jewish Community Center, coffee and the most luscious
cake with whipped cream, proceeded by a visit to the modem synagogue, very different, very modem, very
beautiful and again no ghosts. No memory of what has been. We meet with local senior members attracted
by our company or just the cake. Two elderly gentlemen live in the apartment house adjoining the
community center. They regale us with horrendous stories of their lives during World War II, both grew up
in Mannheim.
Rereading my diary I am struck how 1 come back to the same subject again and again, . "This town cannot
hurt me, it is called Mannheim, is located at the confluence of the Rhein and the Neckar like the town,
where 1 grew up, but it is a different town than the town 1 knew, different physically and emotionally, a
different place from the town 1 hated so much." 60 years later 1 begin to understand how frightened I had
been during the Nazi era, how I felt, that a noose had been placed around my family and fnends, which
was drawn tighter and tighter, ready to strangle us. 1 remember, how my Catholic school friends told me,
that they could not come to my house anymore, because their fathers jobs as civil servants might be
jeopardized if it became known, that their daughter associated with a Jewish child, the look on my on the
faces of my parents, when the doorbell in my father’s office rang less and less frequently. The cruel
"Stuermer" caricatures of Jews on every newspaper kiosk, the sound of tanks rolling toward the Siegfried
Line at the time of the Munich crisis.
2
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19 9;00 A.M.
Venture on my first solo tram ride in Mannheim and feel very adventurous. Anna A made an appointment
for me with Frau Becker and Herr Hirsch in the Stadtarchiv in the Collini Zentrum. It is still not easy to
ask for directions in German, but 1 am getting better at it. I am received with great friendliness. We talk
about the early Portuguese Jews in Mannheim, the Astruck and Carcassone family, Doris and my ancestors,
and I share my family tree and information abstracted from Bertoldt Rosenthal’s research. Mrs Becker
volunteers, that the Stadtardiiv is preparing a new Mannheim history for Mannheim's 400 anniversary in
2007 and that the influence of the Portuguese Jews on the town’s early development may be included.
Unfortunately I gather little new information, as most of the old documents were destroyed during the
World War II bombing raids.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1:00 P.M.
Our group is given a "Stadt Rundfahrt". Post W.W.II houses interspersed with half familiar names and
sites. The "Tennisplatz", where we ice-skated in wintertime (as long as Jews were allowed to do so),
has been replaced by the ’’ National Theater", the ’Tattersal" the tram intersection near where we used
to live in Kaiserring 36, bustles with more traffic, than I remember. Our apartment house has been
replaced by a sleek modem creation with elegant stores. Top housing is the ’’Lindenhof’ along the
Rhine, gone are the slums I used to pass on my way to visit friends. All very pleasant, 1 feel detached.
THURSDAY OCTOBER 19, 6:00 P.M.
The invitation reads: ’’ Empfang der Stadt Mannheim mit anschliessenden Abendessen im Drehrestaurant
Skyline im Mannheimer Femmeldeturm". ( Reception of the town Mannheim followed by dinner in the
turning restaurant on top of the Mannheim Tower) Oberbuergermeister Gerhard Widder, his wife and
town dignitaries receive us. Herr Widder gives us a conducted tour of Mannheim as the tower circles and
the town slowly sinks into dusk. The entire restaurant is closed in our honor (or is it for our protection?)
The Buergermeister speaks words of regret, conciliation, and hope for the future. The meal is out
of this world. Our table companions include Gabrielle and Peter Myrcik, secretary of the Chnstian/Jewish
Organisation (Gesellschaft frier Christlich/Juedische Zusammenarbeit) Mr Myrcik was bom in
Ostoberschlesien, his wife a real Mannemer. We talk of children, schools, their house in Seckenheim, in
my days a village, now a suburb, of riding in the Rheinauer Wald, where I gathered mushrooms. A very
pleasant evening.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 10:00 A.M.
Bemie comes along to visit my friends at the Stadtarchiv. Herr Hirsch presents me with the results
of the research he has done on our grandfather’s house, C 1 6. A picture of an imposing comer house
on the Breite Strasse and a smaller house next to it, which he assures me was our grandparents house.
There is also an Anmeldeschein" showing the inhabitants of the house circa 1 890, a copy of our
grandfather's Heimatschein, noting that he is a "Badischer Staatsbuerger" and is " heimatsberecht" in
Ehrstadt, dated August 1889. The building’s history note states that it was owned 1815 by Georg Adam
ROSSBACH, a "Ratsherr" ( council man), by the Rossbach heirs in 1 840 and by Martin THIEVE, a master
Taylor 1889 - 1893. The house was bought by our grandfather, Adolf Goetter, in 1894. He was 41 years
old at the time. This was 5 years after he married our grandmother, Anna MAIER , from Heilbronn, oldest
daughter of Max MAIER and Babette ZIMMERN, both bom in Eichtersheim, Baden. However he lived
in C 1,6 since 1 889 or earlier.
A quick Imbiss at the Nordsea chain in the Breite Strasse and we are off to the cemetery in
Ludwigshafen, where our grandparents Wolff (our father’s parents) are buried. Ludwigshafen is sleek
and new, at least the part visible from the tram and the ride shorter than 1 remember. We seem to walk
endlessly through the Christian cemetery to the office, where the key to the locked Jewish cemetery is
3
kept. The Christian cemetery exudes a feeling of peace, no roads, no cars, the mostly grey haired
locals hurry past us, the plots are full of flowers,
old trees are everywhere, there are many water spigots with watering cans inviting visitors to tend their
graves. It's a lovely fall afternoon. We pass an area with hundreds of graves of soldiers, who have
fallen in World War 1, 1914 - 1918, a graphic reminder of the enormity of this half forgotten war.
When we do reach the cemetery office, we learn we have been misinformed as to the cemetery's closing
time. We are too late to obtain Äe key and have to be satisfied with a look through the gate of the Jewish
cemetery. The grave of our grandparents, Moritz and Julia WolfTbom Huettenbach from Worms, is at the
entrance of the Jewish part of the cemetery, marked by a large marble family monument, weathered and
worn. However the names of Mcwitz and Julia stand out. There is also a smaller plaque, Richard Wolff,
marking the grave of our father's brother, who died inLondon..
In the evening I attend Friday evening services in the synagogue. It is well attended. The women sit
separately from the men, but not behind a curtain. The prayer books are in Hebrew only, there is no
organ, no choir as I remember it, The Bema is in the center of the building, the cantor sings beautifully.
Later 1 leamthat he is a former Polish Opera singer. Members know every song and join in with
gusto The service is well attended and all age groups are represented. I miss the traditional "Le
Jodo De " ( Praise of the Sabbath bride), which opened every Friday evening service in Mannheim 60 years
ago. I know I am trying to reconstruct, what has been, but there is no going back.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21. 10; 00 A.M.
We play hookey from Saturday morning services and catch the tram at the Marktplatz, just three blcxiks
from our hotel. The weather is glorious and we are heading for Heidelberg. The only street wending
through the center of town has been converted into a pedestrian mall crowded with locals, studöits and
tourists. Our route is partly blocked by a parade of Palestinian young people, lots of emotion, posters,
shouting singing. We do not feel threatened, just annoyed, to be forced to remember a reality of hatred
on such a beautiful day, and are glad, when the demonstrators disperse as they reach the Marktplatz.
Most of the strollers on the mall take the demwistrators in their stride and take little notice.
Our way back leads us along the Neckar, where bus after bus spews pollution, but the old fortifications
and the trails on the hills above remind me of many happy Sunday hikes with my friend Trude and her
parents. On our return trip we sit opposite two stem looking ladies of our age group. We eye each other
warily, but do not talk. Later we agree, that we had visions of the emblem of the "N.S. Frauenschaft", the
Nazi Women's Organisation, on their pristine blouses. Recalling this incidence I realize, that by accident
our design, we have not met any Mannheimers older than sixty years, or old enough to have been members
of the Nazi movement.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 6.30 P.M.
Bemie was pelted with candy during Simchat Tora services and fled the sanctuary, 1 sat in safety in
the synagogue's balcony women's section and enjoyed fun and the good mood of the crowd. Later we
joined members of the congregation for a delicious communal meal and over supper learned more of their
life, children, hopes, aspirations. On our table were Mr and Mrs M. Mr M, bom in the Pfalz, appeared
very secure in Germany. His parents met in a D.P.fDisplaced Persons) camp after World War II near
Mannheim and he grew up and was educated here. Another guest at our table was Frau G., a town
councillor, who did not appear completely comfortable in this Jewish setting.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1 1:00 A.M.
A stroll through almost deserted streets with Erica and Sam G. We are heading for Erica's Mannheim home
from 1939 - 40 in C 5. 1 have regained my Mannheim bearings and confidently lead the group. Alas once
again the house has been razed and no landmark is left to jog Erica's memory. Erica tells the story of her
youth. She was bom in Merchingen, Baden, about 50 miles from Mannheim. Merchingen was the birth
place of our great grandmother Brauen lein/Babette Haas,daughter of Loew Bruch Haas, an innkeeper and
4
his wife Esther. Life became unbearable for Jews in Merchingen after "Krystal Inacht". The 9th of
November 1938. She was too young, when she left the town to tell me much
about life there. Erica was deported with her parents to Gurs and fi’om their to Rive Saltes, a so called
family camp, in many ways worse than Gurs, harsher guards and even less food. A French Social Service
Organization made an offer to the incarcerated parents to move their children out of the camp. Few parents
were desperate or courageous enough to do so. Erica's mother did and thus saved her life. Erica was given
the identification papers of an Alsatian diild and at the age of 12 doing house work and caring for the
children of a member of the French underground. Her paroits perished in Ausschwitz,
SUNDAY OCTOBER 22, 2 P.M.
Peter and Brigitte H from Sinsheim collect us at the Wartburg and quickly transport us to the
"Seniorenheim", senior citizen's residence on the Lindenhof, where Frauelein Graab, my High School
teacher, has lived for the past three years. Brigitte is a niece of Ms Graab and takes major responsibility
for her well being. Ms Graab, who was a superb teacher, who always treated Trude and me, the only
Jewish students in the sdiool, with fairness and compassion, is today a fi^il, old lady, who speaks
little and needs a helping hand to support her. Her niece serves coffee and home made cake in a bright
alcove. I sit next to Miss Graab, she strokes my hand repeatedly and says " Ah, so schoen". Her niece has
previously explained to her, who I am. But I am note sure, that she can make the connection between the
white haired me and the 1 5 year old girl in her English class. However she seems pleased to have a
visitor fi-om her past and I am satisfied, that I have given her some pleasure. In the meanwhile Bemie and
Herr H get along famously and the Haefiiers invite us for lunch in their home. I jump at the chance. It
will give me a chance to visit Ehrstaedt, a anall village, where my great grandparents Goetter lived and
also visit the cemetery ( Waldfriedhof) in Waibstadt, where they are buried.
SUNDAY. OCTOBER 22, 7;00 P.M.
Once more the synagogue is crowded. The program is moving. Speeches interspersed with musical
presentations. I am impressed by the number of people present, many of them apparently not Jewish and
the mix of Jewish and non- Jewish speakers including government representatives. At this moment the
Pfaelzer and Mannheimw deportees have not been forgotten.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 9.30 A.M.
In a lighter vein we clamber on a tour bus and after some tricky maneuvering through Mannheim's narrow
one way streets, we are on our way to Heidelberg and the Neckartal. The sun shines, the red and golden
leaves flutter gently to the ground as we visit the ruins of the "Schloss" in Heidelberg. Lunch is in the
historic restaurant "Zum Ritter" on the shores of the Neckar in Neckargemuend. From thwe we proceed to
the "Schloss Park" in Schwetzingen for coffee and cake and a stroll through the well maintained gardens,
an imitation Versailles.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 8;00 P.M.
We have reserved tickets for a "Gedenk Konzert, 60 Jahre danach! 22/23/Oktober 1940, Deportation der
Juden aus Baden, Pfalz und Saarland" (Memorial concert, deportation of the Jews from Baden and the
Palatinate and Saarland). Artists are Hechal Schlomo and the Choir of the Great Synagogue in Jerusaelm.
There is standing room only. The performance is beautiful, the audience most appreciative. It is
gratifying to experience the response of this packed house of Mannheim listeners to an Israeli Choir.
Again there are many non Jews in the audience.
5
I decide not to wait for our group's guided tour to the Jewish cemetery and make an early, solo start by
tram. The trip 1 took so often with our mother seems much shorter, than 1 remember it. The cemetery is
well cared for. An elderly ground keeper is sweeping leaves with a mechanical blower, the only sound to
break the silence. Our grandfather's grave is located ^inst the wall separating the Christian and Jewish
cemeteries, just as 1 remember it. It is covered with ivy and other ground covers. The stone,
glistening black stands erect and unmarred by time, the inscripticHi ' Familie Goetter clearly visible.
This is a large plot meant for parents, children, grandchildren, but there is only one lonely marker,
ADOLF GOETTER 1853- 1931.
Nearby 1 discover the family grave of Heinrich ZIMMERN, grand uncle of my grandmothw, >yina
Goetter, whose mother was a bom Zimmern. Der" Herr Kommerzienrat", born 5/13/1836 in Eichtersheim,
died 4/28/1922 in Mannheim, His great grand daughter. Hedwig Rheinhardt lives in Manhattan today.
Family members buried in this extensive family plot are HENRIETTA 4/20/1840 - 2/6/1919 Spouse of
Heinrich JOSEPH 8/19/1851 - 1 1/23/1918 Son in law of Heinrich. Husband of Clementine
CLEMENTfNE 7/24/1861 - 12/20/1928 Daughter of Heinrich and Henriette ERNST 8/10/1889 -
11/6/1930 Son oDoseph and Clementine LUDWIG 1865- 1928
Back on the number 7 tram, I stop at the Stadtarchiv in the Collinistrasse to say good bye and make it back
to the Hotel Wartburg just in time for our ride to Sinsheim with Mr H. The autobahn is smooth and
not crowded, the country side more and more rural the further we get away from Mannheim. The ITs house
is lovely with a terraced garden and within walking distance of their daughtCTS High School. We have
lunch with Claudia (20), Kathrin ( 15) and Stefanie (17) and hear about the life of the younger German
generation. On top of the list is the wish to connect their home computer to the Internet. On a more
serious vein the Ws presented us with a history of the Jews in Sinsheim, which includes a good history of
the Jews in the Kraichgau and biographies of the men and women who left or were deported from Sinsheim
in the Hitler years. We are also shown a cutting from today's local newspaper. It speaks of High School
students cleaning the WEIL Mauseleum outside the Jevrish Cemetery in Waibstadt in preparation of a
memorial " Feier" of November 9, 1938, the eve of "Krystallnacht". On this date most synagogues and
many Jewish homes throughout Germany were destroyed and husbands, sons and fathers incarcerated in
Concentration Camps. In Baden the Jews were sent to concentration camp Dachau near Munich. A
number did not come back at all. Numerous returnees were broken in body and spirit.
After lunch we drive through peaceful, rolling countryside along winding, narrow roads to Ehrstaedt.
Mr H. has gone to the trouble to obtain the key to the synagogue, now a garage. To his disappointment
there is little to see except a Heiratsstein outside the synagogue and a Mögen David above the door. We
stop at our great grandparents' house ( Moses and Batette/Brauenlein Goetter bom Haas from Merchingen)
and speak with Frau Johanna Haenel bom Kieser, Weidengasse 5, whose parents bought the house from
the heirs of our great grandparents. She tells us an interesting story about our great grandfather, who
stipulated in his will, that his housekeeper should have life time rights to occupy a room in the house.
Mrs Haenel told us, that the housekeeper did so until her death in 1949. When Mrs Haenel learned, that we
were going to the cemetery she insisted, that we take some flowers from her garden for our great
grandfathCT's grave.
From Ehrstaedt we followed more winding lanes to the Waibstadt cemetery. The steep uphill road was
barred to cars and I was pretty winded by the time we reached the Weil Mausoleum at the cemetery's
entrance. The cemetery used to serve 17 Jewish communities. It is heavily wooded and overgrown and one
of the oldest existing Jewish cemeteries in this part of Germany.. With the help of the Haefhers we found
the grave of our great grandfather, Moses Goetter, his wife Babette bom Haas, his son and daughter in law.
Max and Hannchen Goetter, bom Elsaesser, (2/28/1855 -5/21/1934) as well Moses only sibling,, Fanny
Jacobsohn bom Goetter (1832 - 1916), who lived in Neckarbischofsheim, Moses Goetter and Fanny were
two often children of Isaak Goetter and Bella (Barbara) Gumbel. Their eight siblings did not survive
infancy. Moses Goetter's stone is weathered, but stands erect and the German script is legible.
6
t
Later we catch the local train to Mannheim, a real" Bummelzug", which stops at every dreamy little station
and takes us through Neckargemuend along the shores of the Neckar. In Mannheim we rush to the
National Theater for a very up to date performance of Turandot in modem dress and scenery. I enjoy the
fun, but Bemie, ever the traditionalist misses the glitter and glory of the "real thing". It has been quite a
day.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25. 8:00 A.M.
I have an appointment at the Landesarchiv in Karlsruhe and make an early departure for the hour-long
railroad trip. This is my first visit to Karlsruhe and it takes me a little time to get my bearings. The town is
pretty, clean and confusing after the formal pattou of the inner city in Mannheim. At last 1 flounder my
way to the Noerdliche Hilda Promenade, my goal. 1 discover, that the holdings are enormous, the
documents pertaining to the Jews in one small village comprise numerous hand written pages and that
weeks not half a day are needed to dig out the information I am looking for. Nevertheless, with the help
of a friendly Herr Mueller I am able to obtain applications or a Heimatsschein (evidence of residence) for
Emma Goetter, bom in Ehrstaedt 10/20/1886, daughter of Max Goetter. Emma was our mother's first
cousin and was getting married in 1 906. Whatever happened to her and her descendants? 1 do not recall
her name being mentioned at home. My second genealogical catdi is a document from the " Bezirksamt"
in Merchingen, an elaborate permission to emigrate to USA for Herrman Haas, son of Abraham Haas.
Herman was a first cousin of our grandfather, Adolf Goetter. He settled in Weiser, a small town in Eastern
Idaho.
Back in Mannheim I catch up with Bemie, who had visited a class of senior students in the Elisabeth
gymnasium ( a Mannheim High School) Bemie tells me how his group spoke about their lives during the
Hitler years. Questions flew back and forth over coffee and cake, baked by the students. Bemie posed
the question " What have your parents or grandparents told you about the treatment of Jews in these days?"
And he discovered, that the parents of a large proportion of the students were not bom in Germany.
On June 10, 1944 Oradour sur Glane was a small market town near Limoges, an area known for its liberal
and anti Nazi senti.ments. Amongst the town population may have been a number of refugees with false
papers, quite likely Jewish. Angered by the disappearance of a German officer in the area, German troops
surrounded the town, shot the men, herded the women and children in the church and set the church and the
village on fire. A total of more than 642 civilians died a terrible death on this day in Oradour.
The blackened ruins of the church and town have been preserved. We pass signs marking the house of the
dentist, the shoemaker, the baker. Nothing breaks the stark scene. In the cemetery on top of the hill,
there are heart rendering photos on the graves of the victims, men, women and children all with the same
date of death, June 10, 1944. Entry to "Martyr Village" is through the " Centre de la Memoire" an
exhibition retracing the rise of Nazism, the French Defeat, Collaboration and Resistance. There are
several groups of students among the visitors. At least one group speaks German.
Back to the peaceful, pastoral French countryside. Darkness overtakes us, the road twists and turns as we
approach the foothills of the Pyrenees. It is after 9 p.m. when we reach our hotel for the next three days,
the "Hotel du Commerce" in Navarrenx. We are assigned to Room # 1 at the top of a steep set of stairs.
The room is large and comfortably old-fashioned with wooden shutters, bidet, a door key worthy of a castle
and my friend, a steep walled, slippery bathtub. Over supper we converse with a middle aged German
couple, Mr and Mrs K. , who live in a small town in Bayern. He is a Judge, she a former airline
stewardess. Mrs K relates with great emotion the story of her Jewish grandrriother, a secret hidden
from children and grandchildren. Mrs K discovered her grandmother’s background only recently, when she
found some old letters about her grand aunt who was incarcerated in Gurs and her grandmother’s cousin,
who died there. This news has shaken and split the family with some members expressing anger about
what they experience as deceit and others refusing to talk about their Jewish connection.
7
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29 11;00A.M.
The day , which has brought us here, the day we are going to CAMP DE GURS. We are only visiting the
site of the camp today, a Saturday, The cemetery will come tomorrow, 1 cannot decide, which is worse,
ANADOUR SUR GLANE with its centre de la memoire, its stark, black ruins reaching to the sky, the
pictures of the murdered on each grave side or GURS, because here is only a simple plaque on the entrance
of the former camp, small sign posts pointing to the site, where Hots were located, the old main road of the
camp and otherwise NOTHTNG. The barracks and infamous outdoor toilets have been razed and trees have
grown or been planted, where there were flimsy huts with thousands of prisoners, mud and misery. To
what extent the French authorities have tried to eradicate this symbol of collaboration with the Nazi regime,
to what extent nature has taken over to fill a vacuum, to what extent this is the need of a poor village to
make productive use of the land, we are not told. Prior to our visit we had been told, that there was very
little to see in Camp de Guts, yet to find all traces eliminated was a profound shock to me.
We continue for a lunch stop in Mauleon, a pretty little towm. It is Indian summer, a brilliant sun, a
laughing sky denying all the tales, we have heard of constant rain, wind and cold in the High Plateau of
the Pyrenees Atlantique, when our deportees arrived here on October 25, sixty years ago.
Later Bemie and 1 take a long leisurely stroll through Navarrenx, a walled town on the pilgrim's route
to Spain. The cobbled streets, the shuttered houses look as old as time, but the store windows reveal,
that the 21st century has arrived here complete with Internet cafe, the latest ladies fashion and computer
driven gadgets. And a night the sounds of a Disco pierce our wooden shutters and madam in the dining
room enters our drinks on our bill with the help of a late model computer.
SUNDAY. OCTOBER 29. 2:00 P.M.
We lunch in a large hall with the delegations fi'om Karlsruhe, Konstanz, Heidelberg, Freiburg, Weinheim
and other Baden towns, who flew to Pau this morning. The fish is delicious, but all this feasting is
somewhat indecent, when we are here to memorialize a group of malnourished and starving people. We
are greeted at the entry of the cemetery of camp de Guts by our host, the mayor of the village of Gurs and a
uniformed French Honor Guard The expanse of stone markers, inscribed with the name of the deceased
and year of death, are antiseptic in their white uniformity. We gather around a central, simple, white
memorial tower, a sizable crowd, members of the Jewish communities in Baden, German and French
officials. Gurs town people, representatives from the various Baden towms. Speech follows on speech,
translated in both French and German. It is good that these people are here to say: "Never again", or in the
very least, that is politically correct to express sorrow over what happened 60 years ago. It is good, that the
press and television crew are here. What of it if our group provides good photo opportunities and gives
human interest to the formal speeches. 1 am impressed by the presence of the Minister President of
Rheinland/Pfalz and the Mayor of Karlsruhe, representing all the Baden towns. After an hour or so,
I loose track of the individual speeches. Every one seems to say more or less the same. Yet does this
matter? The important fact is after all, that in the Year 2000 politicians and ordinary people take time to
travel to far off Gurs to honor and remember the victims of the Baden deportation.
After the ceremonies we wander through the cemetery and I search unsuccessfully for the grave of our
Grandaunt, Emma GOETTER LEHMAN, who died in Gurs in 1942. Emma was the only sister of our
grandfather Adolf GOETTER and lived in Weinheim near Mannheim. Bom in 1857, she was 83 years old,
when die was deported. Emma was accompanied by her daughter Friederika LEHMAN OPPENHEIMER,
our mother's first cousin and the grandmother of Doris OPPENHEIMER BERKOWITZ, who lives in
California today. Doris has told me, that her grandmother could have escaped Germany, but refused to
leave Emma, her mother. Friederika was murdered in Ausschwitz. Other relatives, who perished in Gurs or
were sent from Gurs to their deaths in Ausschwitz were Thekla ZIMMERN and her son Kurt and two first
cousins of our grandmother (Anna GOETTER), widowed sisters named Hedwig and Else
bom ETTLINGER. Recently I found four tragic and desperate letters from them among our grandmother's
8
possessions. At the exit of the cemetery we are met by a local choir, whose haunting Basque songs follow
us along the road. And we also learn about the work of a mixed German, French and Israeli Youth Group,
which spent two weeks last summer cleaning the cemetery and gravestones. 1 was lucky to obtain a book
about their thoughts and experiences, it makes fascinating reading.
We attend a short Catholic service in the village church of Gurs, followed by a reception in the town
hall, hosted by the Mayor, Louis Costemalle. I feel drained and glad to return to our hotel in Navarrenx.
MONDAY OCTOBER 30. 7;00 A.M. NOE, RIVESALTES, MONTPELLIER
Good bye. Hotel de Commerce. Our route leads East, parallel to the Pyrenees, too far away to see the
mountains and the glistening snow on their peaks, where some of the younger deportees ventured to escape
to Spain. Noe, now obliterated was a relatively small camp and many of the older residents from Gurs were
transferred here in 1941. The barracks, we are told, were an improvement on Gurs, but the food even more
sparse and of poorer quality and the life of the inmates more strictly regimented. The cemetery is
part of the town burying plot. There is a modest memorial stone. We fall into conversation with a
member of the Konstanz delegation, Ms Wendland. She is a teacher and Stadtrat (city councilor delegate,
also active in the German/Israeli Society. Our conversation centers on my paraits/grandmother's
experiences in Gurs and the importance of educating young people in the history of the Nazi era. On my
return to New York 1 will send her a copy of my father's report
Back to the bus and on to RiveSaltes near the Mediterranean. RiveSaltes by many accounts was one of
the worst of the French camps, persistent hunger, extremely har^ guards, sand storms and fleas made
life unbearable for the imprisoned. Erica, a member of our group, was transferred here with her parents,
when she was 1 1 years old. She has fond memories of some of her Spanish fellow prisoner, who were
camp cooks and who sometimes slipp>ed the red-haired youngster an extra bread crust. The camp at Rive
Saltes still has some military functions and we were unable to visit. Eva, who speaks fluent French,
discovered an ex Spanish prisoner on a park bench outside the cemetery and learned from him, that some
of the old prisoner barracks are still standing.
TUESDAY OCTOBER 31, 7;00 A.M. MONTPELLIER TO MANNHEIM
•
There has been no sight seeing in Montpellier, no glimpse of the Mediterranean for us last night, just
a very welcome French version of Motel Six (Hotel Campanile) surrounded by traffic racing into town.
We are on our way back to Mannheim more than four hundred miles distant,. Pfarrer Froese sets the mcxxl
with a few well-chosen words and a psalm. The road points North through long stretches of farm land and
woods, past the belching smoke stacks of Lyons, crossing and recrossing the winding Rhone. Road signs
point to Avignon, the birthplace of my Sephardic ancestors anno 1630. I am interviewed by Mr Myrzik of
the Christian/Jewish Society (Gesellschaft flier Zusammenarbeit) and I give him a copy of my father’s's
report about Gurs. In the distance, the Alps put in an appearance, in the foreground small villages with old
"Fachwerk" houses, interspiersed by ugly, modem apartment houses, California style windmills and
another nuclear power plant. A stop at a modem supermarket at Valence gives us a chance to stock up
on French chocolate. The bus rolls on through the Jura. Our thoughts swerve to the past 60 years. We talk
with Lore W, orig--’ally from Neidenstein, who was imprisoned in Gurs in the summer of 1940 before the
Baden deportation, (the family was released, because they had a French home to return to), to Alfred F,
who was bom in Merchingen, where my great grandmother Brauen lein/Babette Haas -Goetter grew up), to
Mr and Mrs K, who had asked Mr F. of our group to say Kaddish at the grave of their grandmother's cousin
in Gurs. At dusk we stop at a grassy knoll for a final ceremony led by Pfarrer Froese, then it is on through
the dark roads of Elsass Lorraine till we roll into Mannheim after 9p.m.
9
NOVEMBER 1. ALL SOULS DAY
This is an official holiday. All stores are closed. The streets are empty. I have pleasant memories of
Bad Duerkheim and talk Bemie into visiting the town. However, we falter in our endeavor, as we cannot
manage the automatic ticket madiine at the almost deserted tram stop. The few available people do not
speak German or are students with monthly cards, not familiar with the system. Besides, the day is grey,
cold and dreary. We settle for a last walk, past the location of C I 6, along the street, where Trude and I
hiked to the Luiseninstitut. In B 3 1 spy a modem version of the Hedwig Clinic and I reminisce about
accompanying my father there on his medical rounds on Sunday mornings. I treasured these mornings (
Doris was considered too young to come along), when I had a chance to ask endless questions about
science and history. Patients' visits completed my father and I usually ended up in a museum or the
Schloss.
Today we settle for a visit to the Reiss Museum, the site of the former Zeughaus in C 5. The exhibit about
court dress in the 19th century is disap(>ointing, but on our way to the basement bathrooms we spy a
fascinating video about Ida Ehre, 1900 - 1989, a Jewish actress married to a Christian, who survived the
entire Nazi era in Germany and was active in the National Theater in Mannheim before and after the Nazi
era. It is a fitting end to our journey, which touched so many aspects of twentieth century Jewish
life in this part of the world, as well as the history of our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents,
vignettes of my youth, concerns of the present day Jewish Mannheim congregation, glimpses of Christian
Jewish relationship to day, memories, and memorials of the Baden deportation and all it entailed.
In the evening a Goodbye Dinner at a glitzy restaurant. We sit opposite Manfred Ehrlidi, the
president of the Mannheim Jewish community and his charming Casablanca bom wife. She is one of 10
children and shares with us her concern for her mother, who lives in a beleaguered kibbutz near
Nazareth. By all appearances the Ehrlichs are settled and highly regarded in Mannheim. Their two
daughters, second generation Mannheimers 1 8 and 2 1 , one studying at the university in Ludwigshafen, the
other getting ready to make her Abitur. On my left sits a formidable lady Stadtrat, who represented the
Oberbuergermeister. Old friends and many officials are present. The s[>eeches are mercifully short. We
say good bye to the members of our group, and to the Mannheimers, who have wined and dined us so well,
and so often dealt with our memories with sensitivity, regret and concern. Mr Ehrlich’s parting words are:
"Go home and talk about, what you have seen and experiaiced in Mannheim!"
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER, 2, 5.30 A.M. MANNHEIM, FRANKFURT, DELTA
#107
After a very short night, incredible Anna Argiantzi is in the hotel lobby to see us off. A fast taxi ride
brings us to the vast Frankfurt airport. Security is tighter than at JFK in New York City. The departure
lounge is glass enclosed, stripped down like an operating room. Surprise, surprise we learn, that we
have been upgraded to business class with expansive leg room, champagne and a bowl of nuts on
departure, a gift package with socks, toothpaste, toothbrush and othw goodies, real napkins and individual
reading lights. Adieu steerage, here come the Kaiser world travelers.
We fly over small towns north west of Frankfurt and I would like to believe that one is Sobemheim, where
our Wolff ancestors fled, to escape the robber gang of the Schinderhannes in 1 799. Then Germany
disappears under the cloud cover. Occasionally we have tantalizing glimpses of islands and a deeply
indented coast, perhaps Scotland. The plane drones on. When the clouds open up again we spy Canada or
Northern Maine, an empty landscape of glistening lakes and rivers with few houses or roads in sight.
10
THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 2, 11.30 A.M. NEW YORK CITY, TIME
We eat we sleep. The flight is smooth, the drone of the plane hypnotizing, but our watches tell us, that
the transition from the life of pampered guests to our every day cares and chores is near.
And what is the verdict? We have been overwhelmed with kindness and gifts, and whenever possible
every wish has been granted. We have met many wonderful people and the not so wonderful ones have
been carefully kept at a distance. I have releamai to ask questions in German and according to Bemie
speak a twoad Mannemerisch. Some experiences seemed too good to be true, the suspicion lingers, that we
were gently brain washed. In retrospect, I have spent little time, probably too little time in reading the local
newspapers, asking questions about the economy, social problems, relationships between Jews and
Christians at work and in school. At times we have spied glimpses of problems in "paradise", the crowded
office near the Marktplatz, full of young people seeking job training and employment, the groups of
youngsters accosting us on the empty Marktplatz at night, a young woman nodding on a curb with empty,
glazed eyes, police reports in the local paper of prostitutes imported from Russia, child abuse and set fires.
And yet I believe 1 have seen part of my father's dream fulfilled, that some good should come out of the
hell of Gurs. Who would have dared to dream in 1940, that German's and Jews would make joint
pilgrimages to Gurs, Noe and RiveSaltes at the turn of the next century and that a group of Israeli and
German youth would gather in a youth camp near Gurs to honor the memory of the victims and restore the
Gurs cemetery. Who could have dreamt in 1940, that German politicians and Christian and Jewish
community leaders would stand shoulder to shoulder on the cemetery of Gurs and say, never again! Who
could have prophesied, that 60 years later, a dioir from Jerusalem would perform in front
of a standing room only audience of Christians and Jews in the Mannheim synagogue and, that the 60th
commemoration ceremonies of the 22nd of October would include a choir of Mannheim Jewish children.
Ethnic strife and hate continue to reign worldwide, but perhaps, just perhaps a very small part of the planet
has learned a lesson.
Personally I have learned, that I went to Gurs with a mission to keep the memory of my parents and
grandmo^er alive and with them the memory of all the sufferers and victims of the holocaust. I am proud
of the work my father. Dr Alfred WolflF, in the camp, where he alleviated some of the pain and anguish
and with other leaders of the former Baden Jewish community provided leadership to old and young alike.
As For Germany, I do not shudder any more, when I hear German. I have been impressed by the sincerity
members of the "Christian Jewish Society for Working Together", though the extent of their influence in
Germany was not revealed to us. 1 have seen a new Mannheim, that does not fnghten me and I have
learned to say, 1 am Jewish in Mannheim and felt no need to hide. Yet Germany is not "Die Heimat", not
even "Die alte Heimat", as 1 have been told by many well meaning Germans. 1 do not know, if 1 have a
Heimat, but I do know, that Home is here in the United States of America.
Anne Kaiser November 2000
II
DESCENDANTS OF ISAAK GOETTER FROM GROMBACH, BADEN, GERMANY
1 Isaak (Goetter) b: Abt 1730 d: Bef 1789 Grombach
.. ' Loeb Goetter b: December 10, 1755 d: March 15, 1826 Grombach
+Friedel b: February 23, 1756 d: January 18, 1826 Grombach
3 Isaak Goetter b: January 17, 1789 Grombach d: January 10, 1862 Ehrstaedt
^Barbara Kumperlin b: 1792 Ehrstaedt m: January 01, 1817 Ehrstaedt d: June 15, .
1862 Ehrstaedt
4 Breunle Goetter b: February 09, 1819 Ehrstaedt d: April 09, 1819 Ehrstaedt
4 Moses Goetter b: November 10, 1820 Ehrstaedt d: February 16, 1916 Ehrstaedt
+Breunle b: July 02, 1821 Merchingen m: 1850 Merchingen d: October 07, 1911
Ehrstaedt
5 Leopold Goetter b: 1850 Ehrstaedt
6 Elias Goetter b: 1878
6 Bertha Goetter b: 1881 d: April 21, 1938 Weiser, Idaho
7 Infant girl Goetter b: 1899 Neckarbischofsheim d: 1899
Neckarbischofsheim
+Mark Schas m: September 02, 1906 Weiser, Idaho d: Aft April 21, 1938
7 Daughter Schas
7 Alfred Schas
5 Wolf Goetter b: June 19, 1853 Ehrstaedt d: January 01, 1931 Mannheim
+Anna Maier b: August 31, 1867 Heilbronn m: March 09, 1889 Heilbronn d:
June 09, 1953 New York City
6 Richard Goetter b: November 11, 1890 Mannheim d: April 1989 New
York City
+Johanna Wolff b: March 29, 1900 Mannheim m: March 18, 1921
Mannheim
7 Erica Goetter b: Mannheim
+Paul Korody b: May 28, 1917 Budapest, Hungary m: April 07, 1947
New York City' d: September 14, 1970 Los Angeles, CA
6 Paula Babette Goetter b: June 9^ .SB Mannheim d: November 09, 1965
New York City
+Alfred Wolff b: August 13, 1885 Ludwigshafen m: 1920 Mannheim d:
February 22, 1949 New York City
7 Anne(liese) Wolff b: Mannheim
+Bernhard Kaiser b: Berlin m: September 1 1, 1960 New York City
7 Doris Julia Wolff b: Mannheim
+Gerard Lowen b: Munich m: 1952 New York City
5 Max Goetter b: May 20, 1855 Ehrstaedt d: 1923 Ehrstaedt
+llannchen Elsässer d: 1934 Ehrstaedt
6 Isidoro de Götter b: Bef 1895 Ehrstaedt, Baden d: Aft 1950
+Luisa Weiler m: 1922 d: Aft 1950
I
^ DESCENDANTS OF ISAAK GOETTER FROM GROM BACH, BADEN, GERMANY
7 Rudolfo Goetter b: Argentina
7 Margot Goetter b: Abt 1932 Argentina
6 Emma Goetter b: October 20, 1886 Ehrstadt
5 Emma Goetter b: October 18, 1857 Ehrstaedt d: January 13, 1943 Camp de
Gurs, France
+Lehman
6 Friederika Lehman b: Abt 1880 d: 1942 KZ Auschwitz, Poland
+Adolf Oppenheimer b: 1879 d: 1956 New York City
7 Frieda Oppenheimer b: July 28, 1907 Buchen d: December 06, 1994
Los Angeles
+Julius Oppenheimer b: March 03, 1895 Reichenbuch, Germany m:
July 06, 1930 Germany d: May 15, 1970 Los Angeles
7 Bernard Oppenheimer b: August W, ^51^ Buchen
7 Ernest Oppenheimer b: May 26, 1918 d: 1993 New York City
6 Karl Lehman d: Chicago, ILL
4 daughter NN Goetter b: February 03, 1822
4 Loeb Goetter b: December 14, 1826
4 Sara Goetter b: January 01, 1830 Ehrstaedt d: January 22, 1830 Ehrstaedt
4 Madel Goetter b: July 11, 1832 Ehrstaedt d: March 13, 1833 Ehrstaedt
4 Fanny Goetter b: December 13, 1833 Ehrstadt
+Kaufmann Jakobsohn b: April 22, 1832 Neckarbischofsheim m: December 19,
1856 Neckarbischofsheim
5 Seligman Jakobsohn b: September 13, 1857
5 Leopold Jakobsohn b: May 09, 1858
5 Feist Jakobsohn b: April 12, 1859 Neckarbischofsheim d:
Neckarbischofsheim
5 David Jakobsohn b: May 05, 1862
5 Augusta Jakobsohn b: February 23, 1864
5 Falke? Jakobsohn b: January 23, 1866 Neckarbischofsheim d: Abt 1866
Neckarbischofsheim
4 daughter NN Goetter b: January 23, 1836 Ehrstaedt d: January 23, 1836
Ehrstaedt
3 Bela Goetter, Babette Goeter b: Abt 1794 Grombach d: June 07, 1868 Hochhausen
+Liebman Baum b: Abt 1792 m: August 15, 1828 Hochhausen d: April 06, 1860
Hochhausen
4 Bernhard Baum
: +Jette Oppenheimer
5 Moses Baum b: November 21, 1855
3 Israel Goetter b: November 17, 1798 Grombach d: Grombach
DESCENDANTS OF ISAAK GOETTER FROM GROMBACH, BADEN, GERMANY
.... +Fanni Baer b: Abt 1803 Monichrath, Bayern m: August 01, 1826 Grombach d: Bef
1860 Grombach
4 Leopold Goetter b: August 01, 1826 Grombach
+Jeanette Baer b: November 20, 1830 Monikrath, Bayern m; May 16, 1852
5 Frida Goetter b: September 02, 1853 Grombach d; May 12, 1857 Grombach
5 Asher Goetter b: May 01, 1857 Grombach
5 Fade Goetter b: June 08, 1860 Grombach d: 1860 Grombach
5 Babette Goetter b: August 23, 1863 Grombach d: 1927
+Weil
4 Asher Goetter bi January 17, 1829 Grombach di April 05, 1829 Grombach
4 Fanny b: April 26, 1830 Grombach
+JosefWeil
5 Gustav Weil b: July 27, 1855 Steinfurt
5 Babette Weil b: May 24, 1857 Steinfurt
5 Adolf? Weil b: August 20, 1859 Steinfurt
5 Ferdinand Weil b: May 29, 1861 Steinfurt
5 Bertha Weil b: March 16, 1863 Steinfurt
5 Samuel Weil b: January 06, 1867 Steinfurt
5 Herrmann Weil b: September 18, 1868 Steinfurt
4 Heuman Goetter b: January 06, 1832 Grombach d: 1911
+Johanna Rosenthal b: June 03, 1834 Lauchheim m: August 28, 1860
5 Leopold Goetter b: October 08, 1861 Grombach d: Abt 1927 ?Grombach
5 Rosa Goetter b: August 26, 1863 Grombach
5 Albert Goetter b: March 31, 1865 Grombach
5 Joseph Goetter b: March 20, 1867 Grombach d: July 22, 1867 Grombach
5 Salomon Goetter b: April 20, 1868 Grombach d: August 20, 1868 Grombach
5 Bertha Goetter b: July 08, 1869 Grombach
4 Joseph Goetter b: November 17, 1834 Grombach d: July 23, 1901 Montgomery,
Alabama
+Leonora R Ezekiel b: October 18, 1844 New Orleans m: September 14, 1864 d:
Abt January 1916 New Orleans
5 Leon J Goetter b: June 30, 1865 Montgomery, Alabama d: April 27, 1924
New York City
+Dolly d: January 13, 1955 Los Angeles, Ca
5 Sidney J Goetter b: October 25, 1867 Montgomery, Alabama d: August 29,
1939 New Orleans
+Nellie Meyers b: 1876 Se;ma, Alabama d: June 19, 1928 New York City
6 Lois Goetter b: January 05, 1895 Montgomery, Alabama d: November
1977 New Orleans
+Moise Herbert Goldstein
J
DESCENDANTS OF ISAAK GOETTER FROM GROMBACH, BADEN, GERMANY
6 Allan Joseph Goetter b: November 11, 1895 Montgomery, Alabama d:
October 19, 1969 New Orleans, LA
+Louise Hechinger
6 Natalie Goetter
+Sidney Feibelman
7 Lois (Lou) Feibelman
+Amand Schwaub
*
7 Cora Lee (Coco) Feibelman
5 Fannie Goetter b: July 16, 1869 Montgomery, Alabama
+Sidney Bernheimer m: January 09, 1889
5 Donna J Goetter b: March 06, 1878
+Manfred Ehrich m: November 04, 1903
5 Mabel Goetter b: May 08, 1880 Montgomery, Alabama d: May 24, 1950 Pass
Christian, Miss
+Emile Godchaux b: January 1874 New Orleans m: March 14, 1901 New
Orleans d: December 16, 1950 New Orleans
5 Baldwin Goetter b: January 29, 1883 Montgomery, Alabama d: December
18, 1957 New Orleans, LA
5 Vivienne Goetter b: July 16, 1885 Montomery d: Aft August 29, 1939
+Elders
4 Jette Goetter b: March 13, 1837 Grombach
+Joseph Kaufmann b: Neckarbinau m: October 20, 1857 Hochhausen
5 Leopold Kaufman b: 1860
5 Wolf Kaufman b: 1863
5 Ashur Kaufman b: 1864
5 Kapel? Kaufman b: 1866
5 Frieda Kaufman b: 1868
4 Ba bette Gojgtter b: August 11, 1839 Grombach
+Karl Weil b: April 23, 1833 Steinsfurt m: April 30, 1862 Sinsheim
5 Leopold Weil b: August 04, 1863
5 Samuel Well b: May 11, 1866
5 Josef Weil b: December 24, 1868
5 Albert Weil
4 Herrmann Goetter b: February 25, 1845 Grombach d: February 05, 1846
Grombach
4 Ludwig Goetter b: April 02, 1848 Grombach d: April 28, 1887 Montgomery,
Alabama
.... 2 Esther Goetter b: April 04, 1775 Grombach
+Israel Loeb Sussman b: September 04, 1772
3 Fromet Grombacher b: October 31, 1803
DESCENDANTS OF ISAAK GOETTER FROM GROM BACH, BADEN, GERMANY
(T
3 Isaak Grombacher b: October 03, 1804 Hueffenhardt d: November 11, 1878
Hueffenhardt
.. +Sarah Leopold b: August 23, 1812 Weissenburg, Elsass d: September 02, 1887
Hueffenhardt
.... 4 Emilie Grombacher b: March 18, 1834
+|iSaak M^il b: July 16, 1837 Steinsfurt m: September 14, 1864 Steinsfurt
5 Jette Weil b: August 17, 1865 Steinfurt
5 NN Weil b: August 01, 1866 Steinfurt d: August 01, 1866 Steinfurt
5 daughter NN Weil b: August 20, 1866 Steinsfurt d: August 20, 1866
Steinsfurt
5 Samuel Weil b: August 11, 1867
5 Paulina Weil b: July 02, 1869
.... 4 Johanan Grombacher b: September 23, 1837
+Sarah Mina Hirsch b: November 26, 1844 Rohrbach/Sinsheim m: January 30,
1866 Hueffenhardt d: December 01, 1866 Hueffenhardt
5 Leopold Grombacher b: December 1866 Hueffenhardt d: September 20,
1867 Hueffenhardt
.... 4 Blumle Grombacher b: November 02, 1839
3 Rosina Grombacher b: February 28, 1806 Hueffenhardt
.. +Hirsch Rothschild b: Abt 1770 Hochhausen m: September 16, 1825 Kalbershausen
.... 4 Buele Rothschild b: October 22, 1838
.... 4 Israel Rothschild b: August 21, 1840
.... 4 Jeanette Rothschild
5 Hirsch Rothschild b: June 24, 1853
3 Mardchen Grombacher b: February 23, 1810
Present at Reunion
Susanne and Howard Balkin
Bob Balkin and Richard Balkin
Sandy and Gaston Bernstein
Daniel, Matthew, Gabriela Bernstein
Lilian and Leon Bernstein
Margot and Wendy David
Barbara and Eric Ellis
Naomi and Ed Feil
Liz and Fred Gebier
Gabi Hays
Margot and Enrique Jacobi
Sonia and Ray Kuniansky
Eve Kuniansky
Ariel Mazer and Mia Mazer
David Mazer
Henry Mosbacher
Rabbi Joel Mosbacher
Gabi and Lea Neuberger
Marsha and Charlie Schiffman
Nili Schiffman
" This program was printed in May, 2002,
and may be subject to change. Please be alert to
the Hotel Events Board.
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Present at Reunion
Morionne und Eru Sekulow
Andrew Schaffer
Rachael and Sasha Schaffer
Michael Schaffer
Natalie and Michael O'Neill
Ben and Jon O'Neill
Mizi and Carlos Weil
Lea and Chico Weil
Daniela Weil and Erik Zänker
Adrianna Moreira and Guilad Weil
Liselotta Weil
Jodie Rsek Weil and Les Weil
Elsie Weil
Ginny and Ron Weil
Rebecca, Aaron, Zachery Weil
Nicholas Weil
Elsie Weil
Janet and Steuen Weil
Jennifer and Amy Weil
Daniel Weil
Ruth Winick
Naomi Winick
Leslie Winick Gasner
Heidi Winick Sauber
Plans for the Well family reunion were set In motion when Marianne Sekulow of PlkesvUle began work on her memoirs.
A jhmil^ shattered bp the Holocaust
holds its first reunion this weekend in Florida, thanks largelp
to the efibiis of a Pikesinlle woman .
Bu Michael Ollove
HU.S Ml At r
"7 ristallnacht came u
/ bit late to Marianne
C Sekulow's German
^ hometown
Willie the slale-or-
d e re d
of feathers floated gently In the air,
ripped free from the mattresses de-
stroyed In Marianne's house e ^ t '
Somehow, the community's tiny ■ '
synagogue sursived that day. Appar- I
ently. the Nazis gave some thought to '
burning It down until realizing that
1 a) Its ownership had recently pa.ssed : k
Into the hands of a bona fide Aryan. 3
and ibi Its central location all but ^
guaranteed that much of the town
would end up Incinerated with It
Prudently, the thugs contented them-
selves by shattering the synagogue's
windows, although one enterprising
sort also drilled a huge hole into one ' sL-MLeae ■"»■<«» i» ti
of the cornerstones under the mis-
taken belief that the Jewish commu- Siegfried and l^opold. (The SS cor-
nity had secreted all Its wealth there railed the latter two, who had es-
The worst was yet to come that coped Into the countryside, by threat-
day the arrests of most of the Jewish enlng to hang their elderly father
men In the village "They rounded alongside the slabs of meat In the
them up," Marianne recalled, "abus- window of his butcher shop )
Ing them If they didn't do exactly At the time of Hitler's ascension to
what they said, and marched them power In 1B33. 33 Jews lived In Steins-
away." furt, all of them related to the Wells,
Among the men sent to Dachau v ' ‘ ‘ ‘ ' ' ‘ '
that day was Karl Well, the father of 18th century The Wells virtually mere
5-year-old Marianne. So. too, were the Jews of Stelnsfurt
four other Well men, Joseph, Max, After the war, the only Wells left In
Marianne (third
from left) la seen
In a 1937 photo
with father Karl,
slater Ruth and
mother Sophie. Af-
ter Karl Well’s
yearlong Imprison-
ment at Dachau,
the family fled
Germany and
eventually settled
In Dubuque, Iowa.
rampage
-Vkr against the Jews com-
menced elsewhere In the countG' late
on Nov. 9. 1938, the night passed as
quietly as all previous ones In the re-
mote farming village of StelnslUrt
By the next morning, though. Hit-
ler's emissaries — both the SS and
gangs of teen-age .sadists — seemed
intent on making up for their tardi-
ness The Night of Broken Glass was
not destined to end with daybreak.
The Brown Shirts marauded
through the narrow streets of tiny
Stelnsfurt that morning, crashing
Into Jewish homes to sma.sh furniture
and housewares and Inflict the occa-
sional beating. In Marianne's home,
one of the soldiers Improvised an In
spired coup de grace — he urinated
on the broken pottery he had Just
sma.shed on the living room floor.
Outside, hundreds upon hundreds
Siegfried and l^opold. (The SS cor- the SlelnsfUrt area were In the old
railed the latter two, who had es- Jewish cemetery outside town
capcd into the countryside, by threat- Many left before 1938, and for the
enlng to hang their elderly father remainder, Kristallnacht was the
alongside the slabs of meat In the final prod necessary. After Karl
window of his butcher shop ) Well's yearlong Imprisonment at Da-
At the time of Hitler's ascension to chau. Marianne's family fled Ger-
power In 1833, 33 Jews lived In Steins- many and eventually settled In Du-
furt, all of them related to the Wells, buque, Iowa Other Wells also eml-
whose roots In the town dated to the grated, dispersing and prospering
around the globe. In Palestine and
Great Britain. In Central and South
America, and In I.Vec Reunion. Sn]
Page 8d : Saturday, June 22, 2002 : The Sun
Today
In Florida, a bittersweet reunion
[Reunion, from Page Id] his striped prison uniform with bled a lengthy list of Weils, in- Herman Weil, a wealthy grain
the yellow star. Mariaime only eluding a distant cousin in Mex- merchant, one-time adviser to
the United States. learned the brutal details of ico improbably named Chico Kaiser Wilhelm II and philan-
All but 13 got away safely, camp life when she happened Weil (possibly making him the thropist who died in 1927. (With
Those 13 perished in the ap- upon a book written by a man only Jew other than a Marx part of the family fortune, Her-
proachlng Holocaust. who had been a prisoner in Da- brother named Chico). After man’s son Felix founded the in-
Nearly 70 now, elegant and chau at the same time as her fa- discovering that they both had fluential, leftist school for philo-
warm, Marianne thinks of the then grown daughters living In the sophical thought, the Institute
Weil family experience in the At the time, there seemed lit- Houston area, they arranged a of Social Research in Frank-
past 75 years as essentially a ml- tie reason to rehash old events, meeting in 2000. That’s when flirt.)
crocosm of Jewish history in the After moving to Dubuque, Karl they hatched the Idea for this Bastl’s research on Stelns-
20th century, complete with gen- was busy enough trying to make weekend’s reunion. furt’s Jewish past and Mari-
oclde and modem diaspora. a living as a cattle dealer — his For the event, Marianne put anne’s on her family’s history
This weekend, the Wells are old occupation — and earning together a family tree containing brought the two together by way
adding an important postscript, enough to buy a home. The fam- more than 800 names and dat- of the Internet. Learning of the
Largely through Marianne’s ef- ily kept in touch with some of ing to the family patriarch, Loew coming reunion, Bastl offered to
forts, the Weils are reuniting in the other scattered Wells, par- Feis-Weil, a horse-dealer, and his prepare a videotape that shows
Port Lauderdale, Fla., in what is ticularly those in the Midwest, two brothers, Moses and Isaac, the Steinsfurt homes where
most certainly the largest family but for the most part, the rest who appear to have settled in Weils had lived as well as shots
gathering ever held outside seemed lost to them for the Steinsfurt in the mid-18th cen- of the Jewish cemetery and the
their ancestral home in Steins- ages. tury. synagogue, which is now a ware-
hirt. Silence about the Nazi night- Marianne’s research led in house strewn with debris. He
It is time for such a gathering, mare was common in the homes other unexpected directions, has also included footage of last
Mariaime said last week in her of other Jewish survivors, in- none more so than one ending year’s memorial service at the
PlkesvUle home as she prepared eluding many of the Weils. “In in the personage of Siegfried Weil mausoleum in which Ger-
to leave for Florida. As her gen- my house growing up as a little Bastl, a 54-year-old mathemat- man students sang a hymn in
eratlon ages and dies, she says, boy in Chicago, German was Ics and geography teacher who Hebrew and lighted candles.
It’s important to finally compre- spoken all the time,” says Robert lives in Baden, the same region Bastl has possibly been the
hend what happened to the Balkin, a university administra- of Germany as Steinsfurt. Bastl most heartening discovery for
Weils. “Before, it was about sur- tor in Mexico City whose mother long believed that Germans to- Marianne. She had twice visited dressed in Nazi uniforms. mon or those they have only
vlval; we couldn’t afford to look is Marianne’s cousin. “But Ger- day find it too easy to forget the Steinsfurt, in 1956 and 2000, Both trips upset Marianne, heard about. They will summa-
back, only forward. But now, it’s many, I never heard a word darkest aspects of their history, each time going only with reluc- “Going back, it was almost as rlze their lives and show plc-
tlme to look at the past, to un- about it.” particularly because there is no tance. “I had very hostile feel- though nothing had happened tures of children and grandchil-
derstand our history and pass it Marianne had plenty to oc- one around to remind them of it. ings about Germany. It was not between 1933 and 1945. It was all dren.,
on to our descendants so they cupy her without delving into “Really, people in general have a place I wanted to spend my empty, emotionless.” But, there wUl be an unusual
will not forget the past.” the past — college, a career in no thoughts about this story be- money.” That is why she is so looking overlay at this reunion, a shared
The past was something that nursing, marrying, raising three cause there are no Jewish peo- While she was received forward to meeting Bastl, who is knowledge not only of what was
Marianne’s father was resolute children, widowhood at a young pie living here anymore,” he said warmly by those who remem- attending the reunion to present lost but of what was averted,
about not discussing. Both Mar- age, and then a second marriage this week by phone from Ger- bered her family, she felt the the videotape. “To me, he is the This is, after all, a family re-
ianne and her older sister, Ruth and grandchildren. But after msmy. townspeople were happy to bury light at the end of the tunnel, a union that Adolf Hitler did all he
Winlck, say Karl Weil emerged she and her husband, Erv Seku- So Bastl took it upon himself the ugliness of the past. She vis- Germany that confronts its could to prevent,
from Dachau a changed man, low, a longtime administrator at to remind Germans, or at least ited her girlhood house, which past.” As Michael Schaffer, one of
fearful, haunted, broken. Never the Johns Hopkins University, his students. He conducts work- the neighbors had taken over af- About 75 family members are Marianne’s children, wrote in an
again did he go to sleep without retired, she decided to write her shops, arranges speakers and ter the Weils vacated. That fam- expected to attend the reunion, e-mail, “The very existence of
opening a window, no matter memoirs. It was then that she organizes events designed to ily still lives there, and while including those coming from our family, and our ability to get
how cold it was outside. “He al- realized there was much in her teach about the Jewish life that greeting Marianne enthusiast!- Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Brit- it back together, are incontro-
ways had to have a way out,” own personal story she did not once existed in the Baden area, cally, she was struck by all that ain and Israel as well as aU parts vertible evidence that the Third
Ruth says. know. Two years ago, on the anniver- was not said. Also by what she of the United States. Reich failed.”
Karl Well spoke about Dachau So she began contacting the sary of Kristallnacht, he held saw on the wall: a photograph of It will be like many family re- Seen that way, the gathering
only once or twice that his relatives she did know, and the first of what he hopes will three grinning young men, in- unions. Many will meet for the of the Weils of Steinsfurt this
daughters remember, although those inquiries led to relatives become an annual memorial eluding a now deceased member first time. They wUl reminisce weekend in Port Lauderdale is
for several years he hung onto she didn’t. Soon she had assem- service at the mausoleum of of this family. The men were about those they know in com- as much triumph as reunion.
End of Weil Family Collection,
Steinsfurt
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